BURUNDI'S GOVERNMENT AND ITS LAST REMAINING REBEL GROUP AGREED ON SUNDAY TO STOP FIGHTING AND RETURN IN TWO WEEKS TO SIGN A COMPREHENSIVE CEASEFIRE, REUTERS REPORTED. BURUNDIAN PRESIDENT PIERRE NKURUNZIZA AND AGATHON RWASA, LEADER OF THE HUTU FORCES FOR NATIONAL LIBERATION (FNL), WERE JOINED BY REGIONAL LEADERS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AT THE SIGNING OF THE AGREEMENT. "AN IMPORTANT AGREEMENT HAS BEEN MADE TO STOP HOSTILITIES AND REACH A COMPREHENSIVE AGREEMENT IN TWO WEEKS. I BELIEVE IT WILL NOT TAKE US LONGER THAN TWO WEEKS," SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI TOLD BOTH SIDES. "LET'S STOP THESE GUNS." SOUTH AFRICA IS THE MEDIATOR IN THE TALKS, AND TANZANIA HAS WORKED HARD FOR MORE THAN A YEAR TO BRING RWASA AND HIS LEADERSHIP TO NEGOTIATIONS. ORIGINALLY, THE TWO SIDES HAD BEEN DUE TO SIGN A FINAL PACT ON SATURDAY, BUT TALKS WENT LATE INTO THE NIGHT AS ASSEMBLED DIGNITARIES PRESSURED BOTH SIDES TO REACH A DEAL. "WE'RE ASKING THE OTHER DELEGATION TO BE REALLY DETERMINED TO MOVE TOWARDS THIS AGREEMENT. AS A GOVERNMENT WE ARE READY TO IMPLEMENT WHATEVER AGREEMENT WE SIGN," NKURUNZIZA SAID. --MORE 18/06/2006 23:24 ت م
