To follow CONGO President Mandela acknowledged what he called differences of opinion within the regional grouping, the Southern African Development Community, orSADC, on military intervention in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He made it clear there was no question of South Africa backing such a move but that he wanted the Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, who supports intervention, to be involved in the summit.

Mr Mandela is the chairman of SADC.Mr Mandela said he had spoken on the telephone with the Congolese president, Laurent Kabila, and he believed progress was being made towards a peaceful solution of the crisis.

He was speaking in Cape Town after meeting his Namibian counterpart, Sam Nujoma.

Addressing a special session of the South African parliament, the foreign minister, Alfred Nzo, said that both Rwanda and Uganda were giving support to the rebel forces and that sub-Saharan Africa faces a crisis of deep proportions.

Mr Mandela said he had asked his deputy,Thabo Mbeki, to contact the Ugandan leader, Yoweri Musaveni, and urge him to call for a ceasefire.