Representatives of warring Christian and Muslim factions in Indonesia's Maluku islands have begun two days of peace talks to stop bloody clashes in the province.

Government mediators began separate meetings with the two groups Monday in the resort town of Malino, 1,400 kilometers east of Jakarta. They hope to bring the two delegations together later.

The government hopes to repeat the success of similar talks in December that ended a smaller sectarian conflict in Poso, in Central Sulawesi.

Thousands of people have died since bloody clashes erupted in the Maluku islands in January of 1999.

Some information for this report provided by DPA and AP.

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