(Adds details of agreement) By Skye Wheeler JUBA, Sudan, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels and government signed another agreement on Friday in their tortuous peace process, raising hopes a final settlement to the two-decade war could come next week. "I regard this document as the biggest pillar for the irreversibility of peace in Uganda," U.N. envoy Joaquim Chissano said after the signing of a pact to implement "comprehensive solutions" to end the conflict. A final deal could come "within the next week", the former Mozambican president said. That upbeat assessment was shared by Uganda's government, which has been fighting the LRA since 1986 in one of the world's most macabre but least-understood conflicts. In a stormy peace process that began in mid-2006 and produced a ceasefire, the LRA negotiators walked out of talks this week in a dispute over their demand for cabinet posts. But they returned early on Friday after pleas from South Sudan's Vice President Riek Machar, who has been mediating and hosting the peace process in the regional capital Juba. The government delegation's spokesman confirmed Friday's breakthrough. He said the last two stages of the five-point peace process -- to set up a permanent ceasefire and demobilise the rebels -- should be completed in days. "These two stages are very technical and we might spend two or three days negotiating over them, and sign the final peace agreement in this coming week," Captain Chris Magezi said. The war devastated north Uganda, killed tens of thousands, uprooted nearly 2 million people, and became infamous for the brutal methods of LRA rebels, including abductions of children and mutilation of victims. But violence has largely subsided during the peace talks, and some refugees have begun returning. LRA "HAPPY" Chief LRA negotiator David Nyekorach-Matsanga said the rebels were delighted at Friday's developments. "The LRA is very happy with the progress in the peace talks. We can now promise Ugandans and the international community that peace will return soon," he said. Friday's accord came after another big step forward on Monday when both sides agreed to set up special courts in Uganda to prosecute crimes committed during the war. That was seen as answering the rebels' demand for any peace deal to be dependent on their not facing prosecution at the International Criminal Court (ICC). LRA leader and self-styled mystic Joseph Kony, plus two of his top commanders, are charged with atrocities by the Hague-based ICC. It said this week its warrants remain valid. Crucially for the LRA, Friday's agreement included a commitment by the government to make public appointments with "commensurate representation of the people from the conflict-affected areas". The LRA has cast its rebellion against President Yoweri Museveni as a fight for the rights of the Acholi people in Uganda's neglected north. Most of the LRA's victims, however, have also been Acholis. Other crucial parts of Friday's accord were government promises to ensure the armed forces' composition "reflects the national character, including regional and gender diversity", and to set aside special funds to boost business in the north. Museveni's administration also committed itself to "assess the experience and rank of former LRA combatants" to integrate into the military any former fighters "who are willing to join".
An African Union-U.N. soldier stands in front of an old African Union APC during a patrol in West Darfur in El-Geneina February 19, 2008. Sudan on Monday bombed an emptied refugee ...
