(Adds details) By Patrick Worsnip UNITED NATIONS, Oct 31 (Reuters) - African Union leaders have suggested calling a regional summit to try to resolve the crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations said on Friday. A U.N. statement said Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, who is AU chairman, and AU Commission chief Jean Ping had made the proposal in telephone talks with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has been trying to bring involved parties together. Forces controlled by rebel Congolese Gen. Laurent Nkunda advanced on Wednesday to the gates of the major eastern city of Goma, driving back Congo's army. Nkunda then declared a cease-fire, but the offensive has caused chaos and raised fears of a return to all-out war in Congo. The U.N. statement said that in calls to African, European and U.S. leaders, Ban, who is touring in Asia, had urged them to "do all they can to bring the parties to a neutral venue for negotiations." It said Kikwete and Ping both suggested calling a regional summit, possibly in the Tanzanian capital Dar es Salaam or the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. U.N. officials and diplomats believe the figures key to any settlement are Congo President Joseph Kabila and President Paul Kagame of neighboring Rwanda. Congo and Rwanda accuse each other of backing rebel groups involved in the Congo violence. At talks in the capitals of the two countries, European Union Development and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel obtained the agreement of Kabila and Kagame to meet at a summit to discuss the conflict, Michel's spokesman said. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband left on Friday on a mission to Congo and Rwanda. They were due to meet Kabila and Kagame, and also visit Goma. The U.N. statement said Ban had spoken to Kabila, Kagame, Miliband, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and EU foreign affairs chief Javier Solana, as well as Kikwete and Ping. Ban had also discussed appointing a U.N. special envoy to deal with the crisis, it said. The world body's Zimbabwe envoy Haile Menkerios has already been sent to the Rwandan capital Kigali and deputy peacekeeping chief Edmond Mulet to Kinshasa. U.N. officials said Western as well as regional officials could be involved in any summit. Ban was "trying to get all these people to speak with one voice," one senior official said. The U.N. statement said U.N. human rights officers in Congo were investigating reports of widespread rights violations against civilians in the latest violence. "The Secretary-General wants to use this opportunity to warn all parties of their accountability for such actions," it said. (Reporting by Patrick Worsnip; editing by Mohammad Zargham)
European Union Aid Commissioner Louis Michel addresses the media in Kigali October 31, 2008. Michel is in Rwanda for talks with President Paul Kagame after visiting Democratic Republic of Congo's President ...
