Congolese rebels are being persuaded to lay down their arms in exchange for discussions.

President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya has asked armed groups in eastern DRC to lay down their guns and cooperate with the government in "nurturing peace and stability."

Armed group representatives are convening in Nairobi, Kenya's capital, for direct discussions with DR Congo officials. It is estimated that more than 20 different groupings are represented.

The talks are part of a set of resolutions passed by East African chiefs of state during a recent summit.

Groups that refuse to engage in the discussions would face military retaliation, according to a summit statement.

"The blessings of wealth, which you all deserve from the teeming rich endowments, will stay elusive unless we lay down our arms and forge an unbreakable national compact to protect the [DR Congo]," President Kenyatta stated in a taped address on Wednesday.

Heads of state from East Africa have decided to send a joint military force to eastern DR Congo to combat armed groups operating there.