Government and rebel group agree to talks

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government agreed on 5 December 2008 to direct talks with Laurent Nkunda's National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP) rebel group. The talks will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, on 8 December to discuss a permanent ceasefire and peace process. Nkunda has been demanding direct talks with President Joseph Kabila's government for several weeks, but Kabila had previously resisted negotiations, stating that any talks would have to be conducted under the conditions of the January 2008 peace pact, which involved several other armed groups. The direct talks are seen as the country's best chance for ending Nkunda's four-year-old rebellion in the eastern DRC. A temporary ceasefire between the rebels and the government is currently in place, but fighting between the CNDP and government sponsored militia has continued.