Cablegate: Joint Declaration: Government of Republic Of

VZCZCXRO6743
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSA #1276 1631525
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111525Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4748
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 1304
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1527
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0204
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0639
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1364
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 0267
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 0509
RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN 5674
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0537

UNCLAS PRETORIA 001276

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR AF/C, AF/S

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KDEM BY SF
SUBJECT: JOINT DECLARATION: GOVERNMENT OF REPUBLIC OF
BURUNDI AND PALIPEHUTU-FNL

REF: A. PRETORIA 428
B. PRETORIA 775
C. PRETORIA 799

This cable is Sensitive but Unclassified. Not for Internet
distribution.

1. The SAG hosted a meeting of special envoys and diplomatic
representatives in South Africa from June 9-10, 2008
(SEPTEL). Prior to this session, representatives of the
Republic of Burundi and the Palipehutu-FNL released a Joint
Declaration upon their arrival on June 8, 2008. Text follows.

2. Begin text:

We, the Government of the Republic of Burundi and the
Palipehutu-FNL, have come together today in South Africa to
deliver a common message of all Burundians to the
international community, on the occasion of the meeting of
the Special Envoys of the Great Lakes Region to Burundi.

This is an opportunity for us, on behalf of all Burundians,
to thank the Regional Initiative, the South African
Facilitation, the United Nations through its Integrated
Office in Burundi, the African Union, the European Union and
all other partners who are continually contributing to the
peace process in Burundi.

We have decided to end hostilities, as we are aware that the
people of Burundi have, for too long, suffered from them. On
26 May 2008, within the Political Directorate, we signed a
joint declaration by which we decided on an immediate
cessation of hostilities.

Since then, we have, within the Joint Verification and
Monitoring Mechanism (JVMM), shown our desire to overcome our
differences, and this enabled us to adopt, on 2nd June 2008,
the Joint Operations Plan, which will guide the JVMM during
the process of disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and
rehabilitation. In this regard, we particularly thank the
African Union, the European Union, Switzerland and the
International Committee of the Red Cross for the food,
medical and logistics support they are providing to
Palipehutu-FNL combatants during the pre-cantonment phase.

We have also come, united, to ask the international community
to continue lending its assistance so that we can move
forward together on the path of peace for the benefit of all
Burundians.

Johannesburg, 8 June 2008.

End text.
BOST

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