Former Botswanan President Ketumile Masire says he has not yet decided whether to accept the job of mediating in the peace talks between the government and rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mr Masire told the BBC that he had not put himself forward for the post and had not expected to be chosen.

Earlier the Kinshasa government and three rebel groups agreed to appoint Mr Masire as mediator, Organisation of African Unity chairman Salim Ahmed Salim announced.

Mr Salim described the agreement as an "important breakthrough" in ending the 16-month war between President Laurent Kabila's government, and the eastern-based rebels who are trying to oust him.

The appointment of a mediator would represent a further step towards the implementation of a peace accord signed by the government and rebels in the Zambian capital, Lusaka, earlier this year.

Ceasefire violations

Since then, the accord has appeared close to collapse, with the Congolese army, their Zimbabwean allies and the rebels all engaged in heavy fighting.

Each side blames the other for violating the ceasefire.

Richard Holbrooke, the United States ambassador to the United Nations who visited Congo on his recent African tour, urged the sides to agree to the appointment of a facilitator to help rescue the peace accord.

Mr Salim said that Zambian President Frederick Chiluba, who chaired the talks that led to the Lusaka deal, will still remain the overall co-ordinator of the peace process.

But he did not say when any talks chaired by Mr Masire, if he accepts the post, were due to begin.

Stable country

Mr Masire, 74, retired last year after 18 years as president of Botswana - one of the most stable and peaceful countries in southern Africa.

He stood down in mid-term in favour of his deputy, Festus Mogae, who was subsequently re-elected as president.

Botswana has avoided taking sides in the Congo civil war, in which Angola, Nambia and Zimbabwe have sent troops to support the government, while Rwanda and Uganda have backed the rebels.