Burundi's president and his political rival promised in Johannesburg on Monday to keep their country's peace process on track and to hold elections in August after "frank and exhaustive" discussions in Pretoria on Sunday.

South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma's office said on Monday that Burundi's President Domitien Ndayizeye and Pierre Nkurunziza , the leader of the Hutu ex-rebel Forces for the Defense of Democracy (FDD), discussed the integration of security forces and the appointment of a home affairs minister.

"The issues of concern included, among others, certain aspects of the integration of the security forces and the appointment of the minister of home affairs," said Zuma's aide, Zanele Mngadi, in a statement.

"Both the Burundi parties recommitted themselves to move the peace process forward promptly and ensure that elections will be held successfully on the scheduled dates," the statement said.

Burundi will hold a series of six elections by August 19 and a new government will be sworn in on August 26.

Ndayizeye and Nkurunziza signed a peace agreement in Dares Salaam, Tanzania, in November 2003, ending a 12-year civil war in which 300,000 people were killed.

The agreement allows for the FDD to have representation in the country's government, while Hutu fighters are to be integrated into the armed forces, which is dominated by Tutsis.

More than 80 percent of Burundi's population are Hutus. There are also provisions to grant temporary immunity to both sides from prosecution for atrocities committed during the war.

(Xinhua News Agency May 10, 2005)