Buyoya wants more time to study peace accord

President Pierre Buyoya has urged more time to study the draft of a peace agreement, which mediator Nelson Mandela said should be signed on 20 July - a day after the peace talks resume in Arusha, Tanzania. Speaking to Catholic bishops in Bujumbura on Thursday, in comments broadcast by Burundi radio, Buyoya noted that rebel delegations would be taking part in the process for the first time. He said the mediator may now have realised that more time was required. “Information which reached me last night shows that the mediator has realised his plan should be submitted to the parties, to allow them time to study it and comment on it,” Buyoya said. “Therefore it is possible that things might not be ready by 20 July.” He added the government’s view was that the Burundian people should also be given time to study the draft. “We are not against the signing of a peace agreement in the near future,” he said. “However, we believe that some time should be set aside to do what has not been done. One should avoid making people sign what they do not believe in.” Jerome Ndiho, spokesman for the rebel Conseil national pour la defense de la democratie-Forces pour la defense de la democratie (CNDD-FDD), told IRIN earlier in the week that it was “very unlikely” his group would sign the accord on 20 July, although he confirmed the FDD’s participation - for the first time - in the Arusha process when it resumes on 19 July.