Difficult and complex tour Sudanese peace talks; Powell visits Kenya to encourage negotiations
Sudan-USA, Politics, 10/8/2003

The two delegations of the Sudanese government and the southern rebels have started a new round of peace talks in Kenya yesterday described by officials as difficult and complex, while officials at the US Department Of State said that its secretary Colin Powell might head during the current month for Kenya with the aim of encouraging the negotiations.

The officials said that the delegations will discuss several issues which have not not been solved yet including means of sharing the authority and resources of the rich oil fields in the south, the situation of the capital Khartoum and the political status of three areas under disputes which are al-Nouba mountains, the south of the Blue Nile and Aibi.

The spokesman for the rebels Yasser Araman said "despite the fact we have solved to most difficult issue which is security arrangements, however, other cases are complicated and need a great effort."

Peace talks between the government and the rebels was postponed on September 26 after the two sides had signed an important security agreement that led to eliminating a major obstacle before the efforts to eliminate the civil war in which around 2 millions were killed.

The talks are held in Nevasha town, 90 Km to the northern west of Nairobi at committees level. Sudan's Vice President Ali Othman Muhammad Taha and the leader of the rebels John Garang will join the talks next week.

In Washington, American officials announced that Powell might head during this month October to Kenya with the aim of encouraging peace negotiations between Khartoum and southern rebels. One of these officials said that no decision was taken yet on Powell's visit to Kenya to support peace negotiations but the option of carry out this visit was discussed on Monday in Washington during the visit of Kenya's President. If this visit is approved, it will be between his trip to Bancock where he will take part at the Economic Cooperation forum in Asia which starts deliberations on October 17 and the conference of the donor state for rebuilding Iraq which will be held on October 23 and 24 in Madrid.

Previous Stories:
  Sudan, Uganda extends an agreement for security cooperation   (10/7/2003)
  Taha briefs Riyadh on the recent progress, Sudanese talks resumed today   (10/6/2003)
  Al-Anbaa: Sudan may hold two referendums over the peace agreement   (10/4/2003)
  Al-Anba':Bashir gets a message from Powell   (10/2/2003)
  Bashir gets a telephone call from Powell   (9/19/2003)
  Danforth: we have reached the end of the game in Sudan   (7/19/2003)

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