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Mozambican gov't and Renamo talks in deadlock on integration of fighters

Xinhua, January 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

Delegations from the Mozambican government and the former rebel movement Renamo on Monday reached no consensus on the integration of Renamo fighters into the army and the police, in their 91st round talk held in Maputo.

The dialogue has been going on since April, 2013. The talks are aimed at resolving all the grievances of the former rebel movement so that the country can be in peace.

The head of Renamo's delegation to the dialogue, Saimone Macuiana, told reporters shortly after the end of the 91st round that the two sides will meet again on Thursday.

"The meeting has been scheduled for Thursday at the request of Renamo," he said, adding that his party still insists that Renamo fighters deserved top positions in the army and the police, the demand rejected by the government.

At a press conference, Jose Pacheco, the head of the government delegation, said the Mozambican observers to the dialogue presented a proposal which could bring this agenda point to a successful conclusion.

He said that the document from the observers needed further analysis, but was essentially aimed at guaranteeing transparency in the recruitment and promotion of state employees without political interference.

For most of 2014, the dialogue concentrated on the second point of the agenda, which is defence and security.

This eventually led to an agreement on a cessation of hostilities, signed by the former President Armando Guebuza and Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama on Sept. 5.

Since then, the talks have made nearly no progress on the integration of Renamo fighters. The Frelimo-led government pointed that the party of Dhlakama refused to hand over a list of the members of its militia whom it wishes to join the armed forces (FADM) and the police.

When journalists asked Pacheco whether the agenda of the talks would now be expanded to include Dhlakama's demand for a "caretaker government" to run the country for the next five years, Pacheco said there are no plans to alter the agenda, and in any case Dhlakama's proposal would violate the Mozambican constitution. Endi