Kabila agrees to UN deployment

International efforts to end the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo have taken another unexpected turn, with President Laurent Kabila now authorising the deployment of military observers from the United Nations.

He'd previously resisted such a move -- which is a key part of the agreement to bring peace to the country.

His justice minister Mwenze Kongolo told the BBC that UN forces would be deployed to guard their headquarters in the capital, Kinshasa, and to monitor the ceasefire in government-controlled areas.

There's been a cautious response from the UN - a spokesman calling it a step forward. But he said the Congolese situation remained a mixed picture and would have to be assessed carefully.The peace accord itself was suspended on Wednesday by President Kabila.

His justice minister said this was because it did not work: it had to be rediscussed and updated. He also said the Kabila government had to hold separate talks with the Congolese rebels and with their backers, Rwanda and Uganda.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service