Burkina Faso back on track?

Michel Kafando was back in charge as Burkina Faso's president on Wednesday. He said he would resume overseeing a transition to democracy, after a brief coup staged by the presidential guard (RSP).

Coup leader, General Gilbert Diendere, said that the coup was over and acknowledged that it had been a big "mistake". Diendere said the reason they gave up was that they knew they did not have people on their side.

They relinquished power after talks brokered by the west African regional bloc ECOWAS.

Kafando, who has led the West African country since the anti-Compaore uprising, said his "main objective" now was to organize a vote. Presidential and legislative elections had been slated for October 11. Prime Minister Isaac Zida said although the elections would now take place, they would have to be put back by "several weeks", for technical reasons.

At a ceremony attended by African heads of state in the capital Ouagadougou, Kafando said he was open to dialogue on all sides and that "going to the polls is still the main objective."

Six ECOWAS leaders travelled to Ouagadougou to oversee Kafando's formal reinstatement and to try and resolve the issues of whether there will be an amnesty for the coup leaders and whether upcoming elections should be open to candidates who support ousted President Blaise Compaore. The ECOWAS leaders included Benin President Thomas Boni Yayi, Ghana President John Dramani Mahama, Niger counterpart Mahamadou Issoufou and Nigerian vice-president Yemi Osinbajo.

Under the terms of the deal which ended the crisis, the presidential guard (RSP) agreed to stand down from their positions in Ouagadougou, while the army also agreed to withdraw from the capital. The safety of RSP members and their families was guaranteed.

General Diendere did not attend the ceremony to reinstate interim President Kafando on Wednesday but later held a closed meeting with the West African heads of state.

In an exclusive interview with DW, Diendere said he and ECOWAS understood one another, following an exchange of views. He said he still wished for an amnesty which ECOWAS had initially proposed but then later did not endorse.

Diendere said he deeply regrets the damage caused by the coup. He acknowledged that a "in a democracy a coup is not welcome," but added that it was a "positive" wake-up call. He said people were being marginalized in Burkina Faso which should not happen in a democracy.

Diendere told DW that he was not interested in acquiring power, whether through the ballot box or the use of force. "We think that we will continue discussions on particular questions."

During the coup at least 10 people were killed and more than 100 injured in clashes between the RSP and protesters.