Washington welcomes resumption of Sudanese peace talks in Nairobi
Sudan-USA, Politics, 1/25/2003

The US has welcomed the resumption of peace talks in Sudan. However, the spokesman for the US Department of State Richard Boucher expressed Washington's concern over what he called the violations of the government forces to the cease fire declared since four months. Boucher accused the Sudanese government of attacking the western Higher Nile areas recently, and of continuing its military build up.

On Thursday, the third round of peace negotiations started between Khartoum and the rebels. At the inaugural session, the chief IGAD mediator Lazaros Sombyyo appealed the two sides to give concessions and not to sacrifice the interests of the nation and the Sudanese people just for the sake of personal ambitions -- as he claimed.

The talks which are expected to last for one week will deal with the presidential system, sharing the authority inside the National Society ( the parliament ), and the civil administration and distribution of the ministerial positions between the north and the south as well as controversial issues relating to the distribution of the Sudanese oil revenues.

However, the Sudanese peace talks achieved a great detente in July 2002, when the two sides agreed for the south to hold a referendum to maintain independence following a transitional period of six years.

The second phase ended by the agreement of the two sides to extend the cease fire until March 31st this year. But the two sides exchanged accusations of violating the truce.

Previous Stories:
  Al-Ayam: No change in American policy towards Sudan   (1/14/2003)
  American envoy in Sudan next week   (1/9/2003)
  Non- official discussions in Washington were positive, Sudan   (1/1/2003)

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