Rwanda has said international sanctions will reduce the likelihood of peace with M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), after the United Kingdom said it would pause some bilateral aid and impose other diplomatic sanctions on Kigali.

"As they push for sanctions against Rwanda, (Congo's president), seeing that Rwanda is being targeted, will refuse to participate in any negotiations," James Kabarebe, a Rwandan state minister for foreign affairs, said in a speech on Tuesday.

The UK says it will also suspend future defense training assistance and demands that Kigali withdraw its troops from Congo.