Africa Media Watch

"In front of the world," DR Congo's Le Potential writes, "Presidents Paul Kagame and Joseph Kabila undertook to put an end to four years of conflict which destabilised the Great Lakes region of Africa."

But across Congolese media, commentators warn of difficulties in implementing the historic peace accord signed between Rwanda and DR Congo in Pretoria on Tuesday.

Kinshasa does not even have reliable guarantee of the withdrawal

Le Phare - DR Congo

"It is obvious that the text of the accord is one thing, but its application is another," La Reference Plus remarks.

The paper's front page carries a photograph of the two leaders exchanging a handshake. Below it, a caption reads: "opening the door to the unknown".

"Looking back," the paper says with a pessimistic note, "never have the UN and the pan-African union shown any vigorous commitment."

La Communicateur believes that voluntary repatriation of Rwandan militants will not work, especially within the tight 30-day deadline. Yet the accord stipulates that it has to be done before Rwandan forces start withdrawing.

The paper argues that if this deadline is not met, Rwanda's Kagame "will continue to keep his troops in DR Congo, claiming the Hutu rebels have not been fully extradited".

The press has reacted cautiously to the deal

To compound the problem, it says, there are disagreements over the number of fighters. Rwanda estimates that there are as many as 50,000 militants, but a UN report speaks of 12,000.

Le Potential sees trouble ahead following the refusal of Rwandan FDLR rebels to co-operate with the agreement. Their spokesman, Alexis Nshimyimana, has said he will not allow his men to be captured.

The paper fears that "if FDLR do not agree to return to Rwanda, there is no guarantee that other militants will leave".

The only recourse will be to use force - thus modifying the role of UN forces which at present have a peace mandate, it argues.

UN mandate

The pro-government Le Palmares agrees that the UN mission's agenda should be "modified, since it is impossible to track down, demobilise and disarm the soldiers under its current observer status".

The paper says "the DRC expects the UN to firmly commit itself to restoring peace in the region".

Le Phare worries that Hutu rebels might react violently to repatriation to Rwanda, where they are accused of participating in the 1994 genocide.

We don't want our soldiers coming home in body bags

The Citizen - South Africa

"All those who know the warlike rage of the former Rwandan soldiers and militiamen fear they might unleash further attacks," the paper says.

It adds that Kinshasa does not even have reliable guarantee of the withdrawal of the Rwandan troops.

The daily La Communicateur describes the rebels as organised armed militiamen who are mobile and "easily cross the permeable borders of the countries of the under-area".

This concern is echoed by Johannesburg's The Citizen which fears South African troops might be no match for "Rwanda's 30,000 battle-hardened soldiers in the DRC and equally tough rebels and assorted others, including thousands of Zimbabweans".

South Africa's honourable role in the pact, the paper says "is tempered by the UN request for 1,500 South African soldiers to enforce the deal".

The paper suspects that, in fact, Kigali already knows the exact numbers and identities of the targeted people.

The DR Congo is a place "where real soldiers are accustomed to full-scale fighting", the paper says.

It adds that not even the Burundi, earlier this year, will have prepared South Africans for the harshness of the Congo.

We don't want our soldiers coming home in body bags, the paper states.

But Le Phare takes a positive view and calls on DR Congo to stop pursuing the wait-and-see policy and urges decision-makers to "respect their commitment".

A commentary writer in Le Potential agrees, and calls on DR Congo's president to take the initiative to proceed with the plan. Otherwise, it warns, the country will not achieve reconciliation and reunification.

Instead, the war will have done nothing but consolidate the partition of the country, the writer concludes.

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.