UN General Assembly
2002

appreciation of that imperative that my President accepted the request of the facilitator and that of President Pierre Buyoya of Burundi for Tanzania to help urge the rebels to come to the negotiating table. We tried our best and, as a result, the Burundi Government and the rebels started direct talks in Dar es 17 Salaam on 12 August. The negotiations are continuing. They are not easy, but we are confident that they will be crowned with success. Tanzania will continue to assist in and work for the success of the negotiations. We do so on the clear understanding that we stand to gain more from a peaceful and stable Burundi and to lose if there is war and lack of stability. The end of the refugee problem, as well as the end of mistrust between our two Governments and the free flow of trade across our common borders, are the obvious benefits which we long to see realized. One of the serious consequences of the conflicts in the Great Lakes region has been the massive