Congolese rebels said they expected to sign a peace deal with the government by the end of February that would end their ten-month revolt, but Kinshasa said "capricious" demands from the rebels could cause delays, Reuters reported. The M23 rebels have carved out a fiefdom in eastern Congo's North Kivu province that has dragged Congo's eastern region back into war and displaced an estimated half a million people. Bertrand Bisimwa, spokesperson for the rebels and a participant in the talks, said negotiations had already covered substantial ground. "We still have a lot of business to cover but if we keep this speed I think it's possible by end of February we'll have finished talks and signed an agreement," Bisimwa told Reuters in Kampala. "We're satisfied with the speed of negotiations." Government spokesman Lambert Mende was less optimistic. "We were hoping to have things finished by the end of February but M23 have made lots of capricious extra demands, which is slowing down the process," Mende told Reuters. -- SPA
