Mandela 'too weak' for talks

Nelson Mandela is being treated for prostate cancer

Former South African President Nelson Mandela is "too exhausted" to attend planned ceasefire talks with a Burundi rebel group in Pretoria.

Its just an adjustment for his body. For the first few days we thought it better if he rests

Mandela's spokeswoman

Mr Mandela, who is being treated for prostate cancer, is said by his office to be "fine" but is feeling the effects of his radiotherapy treatment.

"We thought it better if he rests for now," said spokeswoman Zelda la Grange.

On Wednesday, Mr Mandela was forced to cancel an appointment with the Zulu king, Goodwill Zwelithini.

A BBC correspondent in South Africa says it is becoming clear Mr Mandela will be forced to adopt a much lower public profile for the duration of his seven-week treatment.

The country's deputy president, Jacob Zuma, will now stand in for Mr Mandela who is the chief mediator in the Burundi peace process.

Mr Mandela has been working hard to try to secure a ceasefire between the government and Hutu rebels who oppose the peace agreement in Burundi.

Coup attempt

The talks are now underway in Pretoria between the rebel Forces for the Defence of Democracy and Mr Zuma.

The discussions are aimed at securing a rebel ceasefire in Burundi before the inauguration of a three-year transitional government due in November.

The two main Hutu rebel groups involved in fighting are yet to sign up to the ceasefire which was agreed in Tanzania last year by many Hutu and Tutsi political parties.

Mr Zuma's spokeswoman said an accord to create a transitional government, reached on Monday and welcomed by the United Nations and the European Union, would only work with the rebels' support.

It is also expected that the rebels' leader, Jean-Bosco Ndayikengurukiye, will hold direct talks with President Pierre Buyoya, who is also in Pretoria.

Mr Buyoya is expected to leave power in 18 months under the agreement brokered by former South Africa President Nelson Mandela.

The accord and the current talks are taking place in the wake of another coup attempt this week blamed on hard-line Tutsi soldiers unhappy with the proposed power sharing transitional arrangements.