SOUTRHERN African defence ministers have agreed a timetable for establishing a multi-national United Nations-style peacekeeping brigade for the region, the Sunday Times reports. Quoting from a confidential paper reportedly endorsed by the 14 Southern African Development Community members in Swaziland last week, the newspaper said December next year has been set for the allocation of forces by the various countries. The peacekeeping force will then be officially inaugurated on January 1, 2001, it said. The force will deal with small-scale contingencies of a short-term nature, and also with peacekeeping activities under a United Nations or Organisation of African Unity mandate, the report said.