The Belgian Foreign Ministry says two of its diplomats in the Democratic Republic of Congo were detained for more than twenty-four hours while carrying out their duties in the capital, Kinshasa.

A ministry spokesman said the two diplomats were ordered to leave Congo but the authorities in Kinshasa relented when Belgium threatened to expel two Congolese envoys.

The Belgian spokesman said the two European diplomats were visiting Belgian nationals when they were detained.

He said they were accused of spying because they carried a copy of a map of the area of Kinshasa where President Laurent Kabila lives.

There has been no comment from Kinshasa on what Belgium describes as a serious incident.