But, he added: "The mandate of MONUSCO is to protect civilians. It is not to fight the M23 on its own. That is the responsibility of the Congolese armed forces, and the maintaining of security is the primary responsibility of the Congolese police."

Rene Abandi, a spokesman for the M23 group, told reporters on the sidelines of the Great Lakes region conference Saturday that the rebels' main aim was to force President Kabila to agree to talks.