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Security Council welcomes Burundian leader's decision to follow peace accord

Security Council welcomes Burundian leader's decision to follow peace accord

Council President Amb. Adolfo Aguilar Zinser
Members of the United Nations Security Council today welcomed the announcement by President Pierre Buyoya of Burundi that he will hand over power to his deputy on 1 May, as agreed in a peace deal.

In a statement to the press, Ambassador Adolfo Aguilar Zinser of Mexico, which holds the rotating presidency of the 15-nation body for the month of April, welcomed President Buyoya's decision to hand over power to Vice-President Domitien Ndayizeye in accordance with Burundi's transitional Constitution.

As Burundi prepares to enter the second phase of its political transition, the Council members paid tribute to President Buyoya's efforts to move the peace process forward, Ambassador Zinser said. They also called on the political parties and the people of the country "to continue to settle issues linked to the restoration of peace in Burundi through dialogue and consultation."