Sudan: resumption of peace negotiations in Mashakos
Sudan, Politics, 5/8/2003

The Sudanese government and the rebels in of southern Sudan were due to have resumed peace negotiations in Kenya, at a time when the rebels denied providing any help to the rebels of Darfour ( Northern West).

The Sudanese state run daily al-Anbaa said that the governmental delegation left Khartoum for Mashakos on Tuesday evening, noting that the round of negotiations will deal with two issues: the sharing of resources and the authority.

The spokesman for the rebels (SPLA) Yasser Araman said in a statement issued by the London- based al-Sharq al-Awsat indicating differences concerning the two said issues. He explained "as for the authority there are 8 issues, mainly that on the "national capital, the presidency, and the average participation in the executive and legislative bodies." In the field of resources, Araman said that the most important remaining issues are distribution of oil revenues, the financial system, and central bank and the currency.

In July 2002, the two sides signed in a previous round of talks in Kenya a peace agreement calling for a provisional period of 6 years during which the south gets self- rule to be crowned by a referendum for independence. The signing ceremony was followed by several rounds of negotiations.

Araman said that when a new peace agreement is signed, the rebels will be converted into a wide massive movement in all Sudan under a multi-system regime and the movement will keep its army.

Araman, on the other hand, rejected accusations addressed by Sudanese officials to his movement saying that the rebels provides support for the rebels of Darfour to the West of Sudan. He said "we have no links to the military action in Darfour, simultaneously "we politically voice solidarity with the people of Darfour. they are people of a cause that should be solved."

Araman, on the other hand, accused the Sudanese government of seeking to "divide Sudan on an ethnic basis. The north is ruled by the Islamic Sharia and the south is secular," adding "we are for a complete national consensus." The rebels in southern Sudan, however, where the majority of the population is Christian and foreigners are fighting against the Khartoum government since 20 years. This war resulted in killing 1.5 million and the displacement of 5 million Sudanese.

Previous Stories:
  Mubarak's Khartoum visit 'injected new blood in integration agreements'   (5/5/2003)
  On the Sudanese president's visit to Libya   (5/5/2003)
  Libyan- Sudanese follow up committee   (5/5/2003)

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