Representatives of both sides signed a declaration of principles laying out the new timeline, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters, at the ceremony that followed months of Qatari mediation after talks began in April.

The United States (US), which has hosted separate talks between the governments of DRC and Rwanda, has exerted pressure to finalise a durable peace deal in DRC. President Donald Trump has made clear he hopes that would spur Western investment into a country rich in tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, lithium and other minerals.

Last month, the Rwandan and Congolese foreign ministers signed a peace deal and met with US President Donald Trump at the White House.

Trump at the time invited Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame to Washington to sign a package of agreements potentially including economic deals.

The rebel group M23, in the latest of a series of uprisings, has controlled Goma, eastern DRC's largest city, since late January and has also made gains across North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.

Rwanda has long denied allegations that it has helped M23, which has seized more territory in DRC than it has ever previously held. The fighting has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year, while escalating the risk of a full-scale regional war. Several of DRC's neighbours had troops deployed in eastern DRC when the advance began.

Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi said at a news conference Saturday's declaration "lays the groundwork for a new phase of partnership among the various components of society in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - including armed movements that have chosen to prioritise the greater national interest."

It was brought about by talks that followed a surprise meeting between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame, brokered by Qatar in March, during which they called for an "immediate and unconditional" ceasefire.

DRC had previously rejected the idea of holding talks with M23, branding it a terrorist group.

While denying it has supported M23, Rwanda has said its forces have acted in self defence against DRC's army and ethnic Hutu militiamen linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

POINTS OF CONTENTION

Sources in both delegations have expressed frustration with the pace of negotiations in Doha and the lack of progress on confidence-building measures including the release of M23 members held by DRC and the re-opening of banks in rebel-held territory.

The declaration of principles does not resolve those issues, instead committing the parties to "creating the necessary conditions" to eventually do so.

--Reuters--