200805111263 | Central African Republic, rebels sign for peace.

Central African Republic, rebels sign for peace.

Libreville - The Central African Republic (CAR) government and the country's main rebel group on Friday signed a ceasefire agreement in a bid to end three years of unrest, a government spokesperson said. The accord was signed by the government and the People's Army for the Restoration of Democracy (APRD) in the Gabon capital, Libreville.

The government and the APRD, the country's last active rebel movement, concluded the ceasefire and peace accord in the presence of Gabon's President Omar Bongo, CAR Communications Minister Cyriaque Gonda told a press conference.

"The agreement will take effect immediately," he said.

The pact could open the way to a general settlement of the crisis in the strife-torn country.

The political head of the APRD, former defence minister Jean-Jacques Demafouth, said the accord foresaw legislation on a general amnesty and "an end to all legal prosecutions currently in progress".

The measure would directly affect Demafouth who had been charged with murder and has been living in exile in France since President Francois Bozize came to power in 2003 after overthrowing his predecessor Ange-Felix Patasse.

An APRD military commander, Jean-Jacques Larmassoum, who was sentenced two years ago to life imprisonment, was expected to be released.

But the fate of Patasse, considered by the authorities to be the inspiration behind the APRD rebels, remained uncertain.

Patasse was sentenced in absentia two years ago to 20 years' imprisonment for forgery.

Gonda told AFP parliament would define the terms of reference of the amnesty. "I can't tell you whether it will include that conviction," he said.