Bujumbura — THE Burundi peace summit has closed on a positive note with Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza and Pelipehutu Federation for National Liberation (Pelipehutu-FNL) rebel movement, led by Agaghony Rwasa, signing an agreement to end conflicts in the country.

The agreement will help bring peace that has evaded Burundi for a long time.

And President Rupiah Banda described the peace agreement as encouraging because it was a window of hope for all African countries.

The agreement was a result of a one-day heads of state and government summit for the Great Lakes Region and other stakeholders in the Burundi peace process which was held in Bujumbura, the capital city of Burundi.

Four heads of state and government who included Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Mr Nkurunziza, Mr Banda, representatives of the African Union (AU), FNL's Mr Rwasa, vice-presidents and ministers representing the Great Lakes Region, spent over four hours in a closed-door meeting deliberating on the peace process.

Mr Museveni, who is the chairperson of the Burundi peace process, said before a communique was read, that the agreement would make the people of Burundi regain their sovereignty as they re-direct their energies and time towards national development.

He said the two parties should work together especially that the country has democratic tenets in place.

In the communique, the Great Lakes countries and other mediators declared that Pelipehutu-FNL should remove the name Pelipehutu from the organisation because it has some ethnic connotations in it.

With that name, the Pelipehutu-FNL cannot be registerreed as a party.

They also agreed that the Pelipehutu-FNL should undertake to respect the constitution of the country and find a new name that is not offensive to any tribe and grouping in the country and region.

The communique further states that the process should be completed by December 31 this year, and that the demobilisation, disarmament and assembling of the Pelipehutu-FNL combtatants should start immediately without any hesitation from the two parties.

It says that no undue interference and conditions should be entertained in the process especially that Mr Nkurunziza has committed himself to integrating the Pelipehutu-FNL and is ready to award 33 government positions to the Pelipehutu-FNL members.

It was also agreed that Mr Nkurunziza should release all political prisoners, with combatants among them going straight to assembly points, while civilians should go home before December 31 this year.

President Nkurunziza and Mr Rwasa signed the agreement after the communique was read.

Mr Museveni and other heads of state, the AU and other organisations also signed the agreement as witnesses to the process.

At the end of the summit, Mr Museveni thanked the two warring parties for their commitment to restoring peace in their country.

He thanked other leaders from the region for their role in the peace deal.

"I would like to salute the region for working hard since 2005 when the late Mwalimu Nyerere started the process in Mwanza," he said.

And Mr Banda said the peace deal would allow Zambia to increase exports to the East African country.

He said Zambia already exports sugar, cement and mealie meal, among other commodities, to Burundi.

Meanwhile, the president arrived back home at 21:00 hours and was welcomed at Lusaka International Airport by Vice-President George Kunda, Information Minister Ronnie Shikapwasha, Government and senior MMD officials.

He said he was relieved that after a long discussion, an agreement was reached for restoring peace to Burundi.-ZANIS/Times Reporter