What was happening between the armistice and the opening of the Paris peace talks?

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Council of Four at the WWI Paris peace conference, (L - R) Prime Minister David Lloyd George (Great Britain) Premier Vittorio Orlando, Italy, French Premier Georges Clemenceau, President Woodrow Wilson

The armistice agreement with Germany was signed on 11 November 1918, but the Peace Conference did not start proceedings until 18 January 1919.  With so much at stake, why did it take 2 months for discussions to start?