UN humanitarian chief Jan Egeland met the reclusive commander of a Ugandan rebel group in the jungle today but the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) said the two sides were unable to reach agreement.
Mr Egeland had wanted to persuade LRA leader Joseph Kony to release women and children it may be holding and to let any wounded go to hospital. The LRA wants the International Criminal Court to revoke arrest warrants against Mr Kony and other leaders.
But after a 10-minute encounter in a green UN tent at an assembly point near the border with Democratic Republic of Congo, Mr Kony told reporters no agreement was reached.
"We don't have any children. We only have combatants. There are no wounded," added Mr Kony, speaking to reporters.
LRA deputy leader Vincent Otti said the question of the arrest warrants came up in the talks as an obstacle to Mr Kony and his lieutenants taking part in negotiations with the Ugandan government in Juba, capital of southern Sudan.
"If the warrants are lifted, then we can go to the peace talks," Mr Otti told reporters. Mr Egeland has no authority over the international court, which is independent by treaty.
LRA officials had said it was unlikely Mr Kony would agree to Mr Egeland's request that he release women and children. "These people are families. They don't want to leave," said one.
At the brief meeting, Mr Kony's first with an international official of Mr Egeland's rank, voices were raised and the discussion was heated, witnesses said.