Diplomatic efforts to try to get a ceasefire in the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo are continuing in the Zambian capital, Lusaka.

Proposals will be debated today by defence and foreign ministers of the Southern African Development Community, along with representatives of Rwanda and Uganda, before a planned summit of heads of state this weekend. It's not clear whether the Congolese president, Laurent Kabila, will attend. The Organisation for African Unity is also involved in the peace talks.

Its secretary general, Salim Ahmed Salim, told the BBC it was essential that the rebels were involved in negotiations.

He said the Lusaka talks were aimed at narrowing the differences between the Congolese government and the rebels. The United Nations Security Council has also urged the warring parties to sign a ceasefire immediately.