Ceasefire talks with Palipehutu-FNL suspended

Ceasefire negotiations between the transitional government of Burundi and the Partie de liberation du peuple hutu-Forces nationales pour la liberation (Palipehutu-FNL) were adjourned on Thursday, 26 September, but would "resume in South Africa soon", according to a statement on Friday by South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma, who is serving as facilitator for the talks. "We adjourn on a positive and optimistic note, as we are pleased with the fact that for the very first time, the government of Burundi and the Palipehutu-FNL were able to hold direct face-to-face negotiations, after many unsuccessful attempts to bring the two parties together before," the statement said. "The amicable atmosphere in which the discussions took place, and the commitment displayed indicates that the two parties are serious about finding a solution." Zuma noted that the two delegations had made a start with regard to actual ceasefire negotiations, while military experts of the facilitation team presented a draft ceasefire agreement for discussion. For its part, Palipehutu-FNL presented a proposal on the cessation of political and military hostilities, while the transitional government responded by proposing the discussion of the comprehensive draft ceasefire agreement and not just the suspension of hostilities, given that the suspension of hostilities was one of the phases in the comprehensive draft ceasefire agreement. "The two delegations will take these discussions further when the talks resume," Zuma's statement said, though no specific date was given. Zuma expressed the hope that the parties would use the coming days to finalise agreements before the last regional summit on Burundi, to be held on 7 October 2002 in Arusha, Tanzania. The postponement follows last week's collapse of talks between the Burundian government and Pierre Nkurunziza's faction of the Conseil National pour la defense de la democratie-Forces pour la defense de la democratie (CNDD-FDD) without any progress towards a ceasefire having been made. This is the second time since peace talks began in August that Nkurunziza's CNDD-FDD and the government have failed to agree.