Power-sharing talks to resume

Talks between Burundi's leader and the country's largest rebel group are due to resume later on Monday on outstanding matters such as the distribution of power in the military and in the government, the South African news agency, Sapa, reported. It said the talks in Pretoria, South Africa, had been suspended after an all night session on Sunday. The talks are between the transitional government led by President Domitien Ndayizeye and Pierre Nkurunziza, leader of the largest of the two wings of the Conseil national pour la defense de la democratie-Forces pour la defense de la democratie (CNDD-FDD). South African President Thabo Mbeki and Deputy President Jacob Zuma are facilitators for the talks. Sapa reported Zuma's spokeswoman, Lakela Kaunda, as saying the night's deliberations had been fruitful. This meeting follows the regional peace initiative summit held on 14 September in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where the parties agreed to reconvene to resolve outstanding issues, the South African Department of Foreign Affairs said. Under a ceasefire accord signed in December 2002, the CNDD-FDD is to take part in the country's transitional institutions of Burundi such as the government, national assembly and security apparatus.