U.S. diplomats are brokering a deal that would allow a military leader installed in last month’s coup to be officially recognized as president, sources close to the talks said Sunday.
The deal would require military leader Pierre Buyoya to restore the national assembly with its original membership, according to the sources.
Buyoya would have six months to negotiate peace between warring Hutus and Tutsis before being required to restore the constitution and political parties, according to a source close to Buyoya.
Buyoya suspended the constitution and banned political parties as part of the July 25 coup.
Meanwhile, Buyoya, his country under sanctions by neighboring East African states, said Sunday that he had asked mediator Julius Nyerere to set up a regional summit with Burundi taking part.
The announcement came after a meeting between Buyoya and former Tanzanian President Nyerere at Musoma in western Tanzania.
The meeting was held in defiance of a ban imposed by regional countries on foreign travel by officials of Buyoya’s government.
