AN EMBATTLED President Mobutu Sese Seko returned to the capital, Kinshasa, yesterday following inconclusive weekend talks with the rebel leader, Mr Laurent Kabila.
The veteran leader, who is battling cancer and a fast moving rebellion, was resting at his presidential villa in Tshatshi military camp on the banks of the Zaire River, an aide said.
Mr Mobutu has not been seen in public since returning.
Mr Kabila told a news conference at his Lubumbashi headquarters yesterday that his forces would chase Mr Mobutu out of Kinshasa if he did not hand over power by the time they arrived.
At Sunday's talks on a South African ship in Congo's port of Pointe Noire, Mr Mobutu, who has dominated Zaire since seizing power in 1965, offered to hand over to an elected president.
Mr Kabila insisted his Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo Zaire should be the transitional authority.
President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, who hosted the meeting, said he would convene fresh talks between Mr Mobutu and Mr Kabila within eight to 10 days to narrow the gap between the two parties".
Mr Kabila said his forces were now less than 60 km from Kinshasa's Ndjili international airport, which is 25 km east of the capital. Witnesses said Mr Mobutu's aircraft landed there yesterday.
The emergency rule Prime Minister, Mr Likulia Bolongo, met the aircraft but public access was restricted.
Although an impressive motor cade with smoked glass windows was seen leaving the airport, no one actually saw the 66 year old president.
Meanwhile, the US envoy to the region, Mr Bill Richardson, said he was pushing for a "soft landing" without bloodshed by Zairean rebels when they enter Kinshasa.
"The objective of my urgent mission is to prepare a soft landing for Mr Kabila's rebels when they reach Kinshasa, a landing that avoids bloodshed and chaos," Mr Richardson said after talks with Mr Kabila.
Mr Kabila said earlier: "I once again appeal to Mobutu to hand over power peacefully to me, but if he does not do so my forces are ready to enter Kinshasa in the next two to three days.
Mr Richardson, US ambassador to the United Nations, said he met the Rwandan military strongman, Major General Paul Kagame, yesterday before seeing Mr Kabila and would next see President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, who is visiting Botswana.
Rwanda and Uganda are two key supporters of the Tutsi dominated rebels led by Mr Kabila.