Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila was expected to make new proposals to end Africa's most dangerous war at a regional summit today, aides said.
But analysts said the absence from the Lusaka meeting of Rwandan and Ugandan leaders, who back Mr Kabila's rebel enemies, meant little headway was likely.
The aides told reporters Mr Kabila, catapulted to power by last month's assassination of his father Laurent, would make new proposals to signatories of a failed 1999 peace agreement signed in Lusaka.
President Kabila has said certain aspects of the Lusaka accord are outdated. "He will tell his colleagues which aspects should be history and how he hopes they can be suitably amended to reflect the changing times," one of Mr Kabila's aide said.
Mr Kabila held informal talks with Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and Zambian leader Frederick Chiluba - the chief Congo mediator - before today's formal opening of the Lusaka summit, Zambian Foreign Ministry officials said.
Zimbabwe, Namibia and Angola support the Congo government against a 30-month rebellion from eastern Congo that is backed by Uganda and Rwanda.
Mr Mugabe set a hard tone for the summit, telling reporters aggressors Rwanda and Uganda must pull their armies out of the Congo before progress can be made towards peace.