News In Brief

Peace talks collapse in Chad's civil war

Negotiations to end Chad's 20-year civil war have collapsed in a continuing dispute over which warring faction is the nation's legitimate representative. Congolese Foreign Minister Antoine Nginga-Oba suspended the week-long conference indefinitely late Saturday.

From the beginning the talks were bogged down, as representatives of Chad's French-backed president, Hissein Habre, insisted that Mr. Habre had to be recognized by all parties as the legitimate head of Chad. Those representing the Libyan-backed rebel leader, former President Goukhouni Woddei, refused to consider the Habre precondition.