Timeline of recent events

April 12: Mobutu says for the first time that he is willing to meet with rebel leader Laurent Kabila -- but only if Kabila shows him respect and is "polite."

April 14: Kinshasa is shut down, as millions of the city's residents observe a general strike called by Mobutu's opponents.

April 18: Mobutu agrees in principle to meet Kabila in South Africa. But Kabila rules out lengthy talks, saying he would only attend a short ceremony for the transfer of power.

April 23: The U.N. refugee agency voices "deep concern" over reports that rebels may have killed many Rwandan Hutu refugees at camps near Kisangani.

April 25: An aerial search confirms that some 85,000 Rwandan Hutu refugees have fled into the Zairian jungle. The United Nations accuses the rebels of pursuing a "policy of slow extermination."

April 27: Rebel leader Kabila gives the United Nations 60 days to repatriate more than 85,000 Rwandan Hutu refugees or "we will do it ourselves."

April 28: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson flies to Zaire to try to broker an end to the crisis.

April 29: Mobutu and Kabila agree to hold their first face-to-face meeting.

May 2: Kabila fails to show for the peace talks. "I am worried about security on the ship," he tells reporters.

May 3: His concerns addressed, Kabila arrives for the talks.

May 4: The historic peace talks falter. Mobutu proposes handing power to the winner of elections in which he will not be a candidate. But Kabila insists that Mobutu step down immediately and cede authority to his rebel forces. South African President Mandela, who is mediating the talks, says fresh negotiations will take place within eight to 10 days.

May 5: Kabila announces his troops will resume their advance on Kinshasa.

May 6: As rebel forces close in on Kinshasa, Mobutu leaves the city to attend a regional summit in Gabon. Information Minister Kin-Kiey Mulumba dismisses speculation Mobutu might use the trip to go into exile.

May 9: Kabila agrees to another meeting, scheduled for May 14, with Mobutu. The rebel also agrees to hold off on any military action until the talks can be held, according to a South African mediator.

May 10: Mobutu returns to the Zairian capital from Gabon, ending speculation that he would go into exile immediately. He agrees to meet with Kabila on May 14.

May 14: Kabila is a no-show, but mediators hold peace talks with representatives from both sides. Discussions focus on terms for Mobutu's speedy resignation. Proposal also includes the composition of a transitional authority that would govern Zaire until democratic elections were held.

May 16: Mobutu gives up power, ending 32 years of rule over Africa's third-largest nation; he quietly slips out of town.

May 17: Kabila declares himself president of Zaire.

May 18: Kabila wants to rename Zaire the Democratic Republic of Congo, which was the country's name before Mobutu changed it to Zaire in 1971.

May 23: United Nations is informed of the changes in the country's name, leadership, national anthem and flag.

May 24: Kabila's government eliminates the posts of prime minister and vice president. Kabila is criticized for excluding Etienne Tshisekedi, a popular opposition leader during Mobutu's regime, from his cabinet. Kabila promises to hold elections in two years.

June 10: Central Bank of the Democratic Republic of Congo announces restoration of the Congolese franc some 23 years after it was supplanted by the zaire and, later, the new zaire of Mobutu's regime.

July 9: United Nations says it will send a high-level team to Kinshasa to investigate allegations of human rights abuses by Kabila's troops during the eight-month civil war.

September 7: Mobutu dies in exile in Morocco.