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| Congo agrees to rebel peace talks | Congo agrees to rebel peace talks |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Democratic Republic of Congo government has agreed to a long-standing rebel demand for talks, to start on Monday, officials say. | The Democratic Republic of Congo government has agreed to a long-standing rebel demand for talks, to start on Monday, officials say. |
| Until now, the Congolese government has refused calls for direct talks with General Laurent Nkunda's forces. | Until now, the Congolese government has refused calls for direct talks with General Laurent Nkunda's forces. |
| Their advance in recent months has forced some 250,000 people from their homes, sparking a humanitarian crisis. | Their advance in recent months has forced some 250,000 people from their homes, sparking a humanitarian crisis. |
| DR Congo and Rwanda also agreed to take action against Rwandan Hutu FDLR rebels based in DR Congo. | DR Congo and Rwanda also agreed to take action against Rwandan Hutu FDLR rebels based in DR Congo. |
| Rwanda is accused of backing Gen Nkunda, who is an ethnic Tutsi, like many in the Rwandan government. | Rwanda is accused of backing Gen Nkunda, who is an ethnic Tutsi, like many in the Rwandan government. |
| See detailed map of the area Gen Nkunda says he is protecting his Congolese Tutsi community from attack by the FDLR, some of whose leaders fled to eastern DR Congo after the 1994 genocide of Tutsis and moderate Hutus. | See detailed map of the area Gen Nkunda says he is protecting his Congolese Tutsi community from attack by the FDLR, some of whose leaders fled to eastern DR Congo after the 1994 genocide of Tutsis and moderate Hutus. |
| Both Rwanda and Gen Nkunda have accused the Congolese government of not doing enough to tackle the FDLR Hutu rebels. | Both Rwanda and Gen Nkunda have accused the Congolese government of not doing enough to tackle the FDLR Hutu rebels. |
| FORCES AROUND GOMA CNDP: Gen Nkunda's Tutsi rebels - 6,000 fightersFDLR: Rwandan Hutus - 6-7,000Mai Mai: pro-government militia - 3,500Monuc: UN peacekeepers - 6,000 in North Kivu, including about 1,000 in Goma (17,000 nationwide)DRC army - 90,000 (nationwide) Source: UN, military experts DR Congo: Key facts The agreement to hold talks was reached in the eastern Congolese city of Goma, which is surrounded by Gen Nkunda's forces. | FORCES AROUND GOMA CNDP: Gen Nkunda's Tutsi rebels - 6,000 fightersFDLR: Rwandan Hutus - 6-7,000Mai Mai: pro-government militia - 3,500Monuc: UN peacekeepers - 6,000 in North Kivu, including about 1,000 in Goma (17,000 nationwide)DRC army - 90,000 (nationwide) Source: UN, military experts DR Congo: Key facts The agreement to hold talks was reached in the eastern Congolese city of Goma, which is surrounded by Gen Nkunda's forces. |
| "A meeting will take place between representatives of the government of DR Congo and the CNDP [Gen Nkunda's National Congress for the Defence of the People] under the auspices of the United Nations and the mediator on December 8 in Nairobi in Kenya," DR Congo's Foreign Minister Alexis Thambe Mwamba said after meeting his Rwandan counterpart Rosemary Museminali. | "A meeting will take place between representatives of the government of DR Congo and the CNDP [Gen Nkunda's National Congress for the Defence of the People] under the auspices of the United Nations and the mediator on December 8 in Nairobi in Kenya," DR Congo's Foreign Minister Alexis Thambe Mwamba said after meeting his Rwandan counterpart Rosemary Museminali. |
| The talks would seek to "formalise" a ceasefire declared by the rebels last month but since broken by both sides. | The talks would seek to "formalise" a ceasefire declared by the rebels last month but since broken by both sides. |
| The DR Congo government was expected to sign an agreement to take action against the FDLR, in exchange for Rwanda agreeing to use its influence over Gen Nkunda to help end the fighting in eastern DR Congo. | The DR Congo government was expected to sign an agreement to take action against the FDLR, in exchange for Rwanda agreeing to use its influence over Gen Nkunda to help end the fighting in eastern DR Congo. |
| Correspondents say similar agreements have failed in the past. | Correspondents say similar agreements have failed in the past. |
| The FDLR fighters have lived in eastern DR Congo since the 1994 slaughter of 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus and have been a key factor in destabilising the region. | The FDLR fighters have lived in eastern DR Congo since the 1994 slaughter of 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus and have been a key factor in destabilising the region. |
| Gen Nkunda has made the disarmament of the Hutu forces a central demand for halting his rebellion, which has led to a humanitarian disaster in the region. | Gen Nkunda has made the disarmament of the Hutu forces a central demand for halting his rebellion, which has led to a humanitarian disaster in the region. |
| Despite agreeing a ceasefire in November, his forces have continued to attack FDLR forces, saying the truce does not apply to operations against foreign militia. | Despite agreeing a ceasefire in November, his forces have continued to attack FDLR forces, saying the truce does not apply to operations against foreign militia. |
| Rwanda has always strongly denied accusations that it backs Gen Nkunda, but its Tutsi-led government has twice invaded DR Congo in recent years in an attempt to drive out FDLR forces. | Rwanda has always strongly denied accusations that it backs Gen Nkunda, but its Tutsi-led government has twice invaded DR Congo in recent years in an attempt to drive out FDLR forces. |
| The Congolese government has often promised to stop Hutu forces from using its territory, but has not done so. | The Congolese government has often promised to stop Hutu forces from using its territory, but has not done so. |
| Its forces have instead been accused of working with the FDLR to exploit the region's rich mines. | Its forces have instead been accused of working with the FDLR to exploit the region's rich mines. |
| In last year's Nairobi agreement, the FDLR forces - estimated to number more than 6,000 - were meant to have been disarmed by the end of August. | In last year's Nairobi agreement, the FDLR forces - estimated to number more than 6,000 - were meant to have been disarmed by the end of August. |
| That deadline was missed and Gen Nkunda's forces resumed fighting. | That deadline was missed and Gen Nkunda's forces resumed fighting. |
| Return to top | Return to top |
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