Rebels abandon Congo peace Talk ( BBC)
The main rebel group at talks intended to restore stability to east Democratic Republic of Congo has walked out.
A spokesman for dissident general Laurent Nkunda said the group had left the conference in Goma after the attempted arrest of one of its members.
Neither Gen Nkunda nor President Joseph Kabila have taken part in the meeting, which began this week.
The talks were called after the failure of last year's government offensive to oust the rebels from their strongholds.
Correspondents say some Congolese government figures are hostile to reaching any political deal with Gen Nkunda.
Kambasu Ngeze, who heads the delegation, said its safety could not be guaranteed and accused security officials of arresting Seraphin Mirindi, a rebel official whose name was apparently similar to that of a wanted criminal suspect.
Some 800,000 people fled their homes last year in fighting between Gen Nkunda's forces and the Congolese army.
Gen Nkunda claims his forces are protecting ethnic Tutsis in North Kivu province from the FDLR (Democratic Front for the Liberation of Rwanda), a militia made up of Hutus driven out of neighbouring Rwanda after the 1994 genocide.
A spokesman for dissident general Laurent Nkunda said the group had left the conference in Goma after the attempted arrest of one of its members.
Neither Gen Nkunda nor President Joseph Kabila have taken part in the meeting, which began this week.
The talks were called after the failure of last year's government offensive to oust the rebels from their strongholds.
Correspondents say some Congolese government figures are hostile to reaching any political deal with Gen Nkunda.
Kambasu Ngeze, who heads the delegation, said its safety could not be guaranteed and accused security officials of arresting Seraphin Mirindi, a rebel official whose name was apparently similar to that of a wanted criminal suspect.
Some 800,000 people fled their homes last year in fighting between Gen Nkunda's forces and the Congolese army.
Gen Nkunda claims his forces are protecting ethnic Tutsis in North Kivu province from the FDLR (Democratic Front for the Liberation of Rwanda), a militia made up of Hutus driven out of neighbouring Rwanda after the 1994 genocide.
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