PRESS CONFERENCE BY MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF BURUNDI

The major challenge facing the new national transitional Government of Burundi was that the two armed groups –- Forces de la Defense de la Democratie and Forces Nationales de Liberation -- had not yet agreed to the ceasefire, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Burundi Therence Sinunguruza said this morning at a United Nations press briefing.

The second challenge was that since Burundi had been in crisis, international cooperation and assistance had been frozen.  He thought that the new Government, which was initiated on 1 November, would be able to take the steps needed to set the conditions for renewed international cooperation and assistance.  The transitional Government was made up of 26 ministers who represented different political and ethnic groups in the country.  It was a Government that could bring peace to Burundi. 

In recent days, he said, exiled political leaders had been able to return to the country after the Organization of African Unity (OAU) sent a battalion to provide for their physical security.  Burundi had not yet had time to set up a special protection unit made up of Burundians.  He hoped that with the progress being made in the country, the item on the situation in Burundi would not keep cropping up on the Security Council’s agenda.

A correspondent asked what he thought about the address of United States President George W. Bush to the United Nations General Assembly and if he was disappointed that the President had not made a stronger commitment to United Nations goals in Africa, such as reducing poverty and AIDS?

Mr. Sinunguruza said the President had made an excellent statement that reflected the United States commitment, together with the other countries of the world, to fight against terrorism.  Africa had undertaken the commitment to do everything possible to see that terrorism was relegated to the past.  He noted that the President had on other occasions stated his commitment to the eradication of poverty and extreme wretchedness.

In what form and in what fields did Burundi want to receive international assistance? a correspondent asked.  Mr. Sinunguruza reminded correspondents that Burundi was one of the poorest countries in the world.  He hoped for international cooperation that would enable the country to obtain economic and humanitarian assistance.  While there had been some humanitarian assistance since the crisis, the country would soon start the reconstruction phase of its economy.  It would not be able to do much through its own efforts alone.   At the round-table donor conference in Paris, $440 million had been pledged to assist Burundi.  He hoped that now that there was a transitional Government, those pledges would be fulfilled.  Moreover, he hoped that the donors would raise their pledges to a total of $1 billion.  He hoped that at the new round table in Geneva in December, all the countries that had supported Burundi would make further contributions to support the transitional Government.

Recently, there had been a great deal of violence in Burundi and a large number of children had been kidnapped, a correspondent said.  Such events reflected badly on the new Government.  Did the Minister have any comment?

The Foreign Minister said he had hoped that, given the political and ethnic diversity, the transitional Government would be able to lead the way to peace.  However, they did not yet have a ceasefire.  He condemned the unspeakable acts that had occurred and which had no political basis.  That was why the Government had asked the Council to condemn those acts of violence.  His Government considered security a major problem, but everything would be done to try and control the situation so there could be negotiations with the rebels to achieve lasting solutions.  

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