President Yoweri Museveni is willing to pursue peace talks to end Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebellion but won't give up the hunt for Joseph Kony and Vincent Otti.

Museveni wrote a seven-page letter yesterday in response to an Aug. 26, article in The Monitor, Army's Victory Against Kony Not in Gun, in which the northern Uganda based priest, Fr. Carlos Rodriguez, criticised some aspects of Operation Iron Fist.

"I am willing to try out the peace efforts of some of the religious and cultural leaders. That is why I appointed a peace team," Museveni's reply reads in part.

Fr. Carlos was part of the religious team that held talks with some rebel commanders on July 17, at Koyo village, Lalogi Parish in Pajule sub-county, Kitgum district. Archbishop John Baptist Odama led the team, which comprised retired Bishop Baker Ochola among others.

Fr. Carlos noted in his article that he has strong reasons not to join those who rejoice over the number of enemies (rebels) killed. He noted that most of LRA fighters are infants abducted and conscripted without their own free will.

He further said he would be happy to see most of these children reunited with their families and going to school instead of seeing their graves.

Museveni says Fr. Carlos' arguments are "pacifist, misleading, and erroneous" and vows to press on with the hunt for LRA commanders.

"I only agree with Fr. Carlos on one point. It is a great tragedy that the so-called 'enemies' we are killing are actually children who were abducted by force. I agree that our attacks should be more directed at the ringleaders, Kony and Otti Vincent," Museveni argues.

Museveni says that Otti Lagony one of Kony commanders was crippled by UPDF and killed by Kony.

"That is what we did the other week when we targeted Otti Vincent, the butcher of Atiak. Fortunately, we got him," he said.