US President Bill Clinton arrived in Arusha on Monday, but it was increasingly doubtful if he would be able to witness the signing of an historic Burundi peace deal - the main purpose of his visit. News agencies reported that despite hours of talks over the weekend and on Monday with international mediator former South African president Nelson Mandela, negotiators from seven political parties representing Burundi’s Hutu majority and 10 parties representing the Tutsi minority had failed to reach agreement on certain basic details. Reports said two main problems remained - agreement on a ceasefire and on who will lead a transitional government. US administration officials, noting that two rebel factions had refused to come to the table, meanwhile, emphasized Clinton’s presence should be seen as a show of support for Mandela, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
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