SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES SIGNING OF AGREEMENT ON POWER-SHARING IN BURUNDI

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES SIGNING OF AGREEMENT ON POWER-SHARING IN BURUNDI

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General welcomes the Pretoria Protocol on political, defence and security power-sharing, signed today by the Transitional Government of Burundi and the Conseil National pour la Défense de la Démocratie/Force pour la Défense de la Démocratie (CNDD/FDD).  He commends both President Domitien Ndayizeye and Pierre Nkurunziza for their courage and commitment to peace and reconciliation.

The Secretary-General is grateful to President Mbeki and other leaders of the region for their sustained efforts that made this agreement possible.

The Secretary-General urges all Burundians to seize this opportunity to bring about peace and reconciliation in Burundi and reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to remain engaged in helping Burundians in pursuit of that goal.

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