Brussels, 25/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - The Belgian Presidency made the following declaration, on behalf of the European Union: "The EU welcomes the announcement of a start on implementation of the plan devised by the mediator, Mr Mandela, and adopted at the summit meeting of Heads of State under the regional initiative for Burundi in Arusha on 23 July 2001. This decision should enable the transition provided for in the Arusha accord to be set in motion. The EU reiterates its call to all of the protagonists in the Burundian conflict to seek, in a spirit of compromise, a political solution to the current crisis, whose principal victims are the civilian population. The EU condemns the coup attempt staged by a group of mutineers from the Burundian armed forces in the night of 22 to 23 July 2001. The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the EU, the associated countries Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, and the EFTA countries, members of the EEA align themselves with this declaration."