Johannesburg - Hopes of a peaceful settlement to conflict in the minuscule kingdom of Lesotho were boosted yesterday with the announcement that feuding political parties would resume negotiations on Friday, reports Patrick Laurence.
The announcement - coming less than a week after South African troops, acting on behalf of the Southern African Development Community, entered Lesotho to forestall what they believed to be a pending coup against the elected government - served as prelude to a meeting between President Nelson Mandela and Lesotho's King Letsie.
After their meeting the patriarchal Mr Mandela and the young king appealed to opposition protesters camped in the palace grounds in Maseru to return home peacefully.
By yesterday about of half of the disaffected Lesotho soldiers had reported to barracks and surrendered their weapons to the joint task force from south Africa and Botswana.