With our correspondent in Nairobi, Florence Morice

On the final objective everyone agrees: bringing peace to Eastern DRC. But on the method, and the exact nature of the process underway, there is some wavering. Kenya, which is playing the role of facilitator, speaks in its communiqués of an "inter-Congolese peace dialogue". Kinshasa prefers the term "consultations" and demands from participants an "unconditional surrender", thus closing the door to any idea of negotiations.

The list of participants does not appear to have been established in advance. It grows day by day according to arrivals. "All armed groups willing to cease hostilities are welcome" explains Giscard Kusema, deputy spokesman for the presidency. The fact remains that this gives the process "a whiff of improvisation", laments a diplomat.

Especially since these participants have varied profiles: from known and active armed groups, to barely known splinter groups, through traditional chiefs who came from Ituri. "We don't understand exactly the strategy", believes Jason Stearns, director of the Congo Study Group (CSG) at New York University.

Not to mention the confusion surrounding the participation of the main branch of M23 (the Makenga branch), which represents one of the main security threats in Eastern DRC but is no longer taking part in the proceedings, expelled since Saturday by the Congolese government.

Since Saturday, and the resumption of clashes between M23 and FARDC, the two delegates of the movement present in the Kenyan capital have no longer taken part in the discussions. They deny, however, having been excluded Saturday from the room where the exchanges were taking place. They speak of a "suspension" and say they are awaiting what comes next.