Burundi peace negotiators start fresh round

Delegates from the government in Burundi, the opposition and the rebels have begun a new round of peace talks in Tanzania.

They're working on a draft accord which Nelson Mandela -- who's been acting as a mediator -- wants signed within three weeks.

But the Burundian government and rebel officials have expressed strong reservations about the peace plan, which Mr Mandela presented last month.

He says the main differences centre on arrangements for a ceasefire and a subsequent process of political transition.

The Burundian delegates are also at odds over the proposed electoral system, the make-up of the armed forces and the treatment of political prisoners.

The Hutu and Tutsi communities also disagree about apportioning responsibility for the mass killings in 1972 and 1993. A BBC correspondent in the region says some of the delegates believe Mr Mandela's draft needs major changes, and that his deadline is unrealistic.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service