The United States said Wednesday it supports the appointment of former president Nelson Mandela to be the new mediator in trying to end the protracted war in Burundi. "We would certainly support Nelson Mandela's appointment into this extraordinarily difficult task," State Department spokesman James Rubin said. He added, however, that Washington is not yet aware if Mandela hsd accepted the nomination, which came earlier on Wednesday in Tanzania at summit of leaders of Great Lakes countries. Mandela replaces Tanzanian former president Julius Nyerere, who died in October.