12/21/2012 15:39 GMT
KAMPALA, Dec 21, 2012 (AFP) - The Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel group suspended their peace talks Friday with no final agreement on an agenda, pledging to resume discussions in January, said their Ugandan hosts.
"Despite substantial progress, consensus still needs to be reached on one item of the draft agenda.... This item relates to the need to consolidate the current lull in military hostilities," said Ugandan Defence Minister Crispus Kiyonga, who is mediating the talks.
The M23 has previously accused the Congolese government of refusing to sign a ceasefire, something the rebels say is needed before negotiations can start in earnest.
The talks in Uganda began almost two weeks ago, after the rebels staged a lightning advance through the country's chronically unstable east, raising fears of a widespread conflict and humanitarian emergency.
Kiyonga said the parties to the talks had decided to adjourn for the holidays.
"The facilitator has decided, in consultation with the parties, to adjourn the plenary meetings of the dialogue until January 4," the defence minister said.
Kiyonga refused to elaborate on the ceasefire situation, saying only that consultations were continuing.
Since starting the talks, the two sides have managed to agree only on the rules of procedure governing the talks and a framework for the agenda.
Kiyonga said the agenda so far included four areas of discussion: security issues; social, economic and political matters; the March 23, 2009 peace agreement under which the rebels were -- until they mutinied -- incorporated into the Congolese army; and mechanisms for implementing any agreement reached.
The M23 was founded by former fighters in an ethnic Tutsi rebel group whose members were integrated into the regular army under a 2009 peace deal they claim was never fully implemented.
Several of its leaders have been hit by UN sanctions over alleged atrocities committed during their campaign.
The rebels mutinied in April and seized the key eastern city of Goma last month before withdrawing following a diplomatic initiative to pull the volatile region back from the brink of all-out war.
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