A document has been drawn up to help facilitate the signing of a final ceasefire agreement in Burundi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad said on Tuesday.
The document was drawn up by Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula and Burundi’s regional leaders after talks at the weekend with the government and the National Liberation Forces rebel group.
”There is optimism that now that this document has been produced after input from both sides, that it will lead to a solution to this issue, said Pahad.
”A comprehensive ceasefire could be signed within the next few days.”
Nqakula is in Tanzania where the peace talks resumed on Monday.
Both sides failed to meet a July 2 deadline to sign a permanent ceasefire agreement after reaching a temporary ceasefire agreement on June 18.
The permanent ceasefire is the final hurdle to end the ethnic war which has left almost 300 000 people dead since 1993 when it broke out after Tutsis murdered the elected Hutu president. — Sapa