BURUNDI'S LAST REBEL GROUP WILL NEGOTIATE AS LONG AS IT TAKES TO REACH A PEACE DEAL WITH THE GOVERNMENT, BUT WILL NOT BE PRESSURED BY A TWO-WEEK DEADLINE, ITS LEADER SAID. UNDER PRESSURE FROM REGIONAL LEADERS, THE REBEL HUTU FORCES FOR NATIONAL LIBERATION (FNL) HEADED BY AGATHON RWASA AGREED ON SUNDAY TO STOP FIGHTING AND SIGN A COMPREHENSIVE TRUCE IN TWO WEEKS WITH PRESIDENT PIERRE NKURUNZIZA'S GOVERNMENT. BUT RWASA TOLD REUTERS IN AN INTERVIEW LATE ON WEDNESDAY THE FNL WOULD PUSH FOR MORE TALKS RATHER THAN SIGN A DEAL THAT DID NOT SETTLE CONCERNS LIKE REFORM OF THE SECURITY FORCES. "IT WILL BE MEANINGLESS IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE TWO WEEKS, OR 2 OR 3 DAYS TO FINISH, THEN OVERLOOK CERTAIN ISSUES AND LATER RUN INTO TROUBLE," SAID RWASA. "IF WE SET THAT TIMEFRAME, IT'S A GOAL. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IF WE HAVE NOT AGREED ON EVERYTHING BY THE END OF IT, THEN WE'VE FAILED. WE WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE NEGOTIATING SO THAT WE REACH AN AGREEMENT THAT SATISFIES EVERYONE." A PACT WITH THE FNL IS SEEN AS ONE OF THE FINAL HURDLES TO STABILITY IN BURUNDI, WHICH IS RECOVERING FROM 12 YEARS OF CIVIL WAR THAT KILLED 300,000 PEOPLE AND PITTED FIGHTERS FROM THE HUTU MAJORITY AGAINST THE POLITICALLY DOMINANT TUTSIS.
