CAR peace talks begin in Gabon
2013-01-09 17:33
Libreville - Three-way peace talks between the Central
African government, a rebel coalition that conquered much of the country over
the past month and the political opposition began on Wednesday in Gabon, an AFP
correspondent reported.
The peace talks, brokered by regional bloc ECCAS, are due to
focus on renegotiating peace agreements signed by Bangui since 2007 which
rebels say have been violated, prompting them to unite and launch a major
offensive last month.
The delegation representing the Seleka rebel coalition was
more than two hours late at the talks, which are taking place in the Gabonese
capital Libreville.
The group - an umbrella for several factions of rebel groups
that had reached deals with the government in recent years - launched an offensive
on December and soon took over most of the Central African Republic, an
impoverished country of five million roughly the size of France.
Rebels moved southward towards Bangui but stopped around 100
miles from the capital after regional powers sent troops to bolster Central
African President Francois Bozize's embattled army.
"I am asking all parties involved, especially the
opposition and armed groups, to abide by the decision heads of state made in
N'Djamena and focus their talks on the 2008 Libreville accords," Congolese
Foreign Minister Basile Ikouebe, who is chairing the talks, said at the opening
of the session.
The rebels are also demanding Bozize step down but the
president, who took power in a 2003 coup, has warned he would not leave his job
and Ikouebe urged his foes to "stick to African Union rules on regime
change".
