Peace talks aimed at ending the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo begin Monday in South Africa.

The talks, to be held in the resort town of Sun City, will be attended by the Congolese government of President Joseph Kabila, opposition groups, representatives of civil society and splintered rebel groups.

The dialogue is scheduled to last 45 days and is meant to chart a peaceful transition to democracy in the former Zaire, once a Belgian colony.

However, peace hopes were dealt a blow last week when the leader of one of Congo's main rebel groups, Jean Pierre Bamba, said he would not send a delegation. Mr. Bemba, the head of the Congolese Liberation Movement, said the talks have already failed because opposition groups will not be adequately represented.

The Congo war began in 1998 when rebels backed by Rwanda and Uganda invaded to topple the government of then-leader, Laurent Kabila. Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe have backed the government during a conflict that has split the country and claimed an estimated two million lives.

Some information for this report provided by Reuters and AFP.

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