Khartoum negotiates with Darfur rebels in Paris

A meeting will be held in Paris today between a high ranking Sudanese government delegation and officials from the rebel Sudan's liberation movement in Darfour.

The Sudanese news agency said that the talks will start by an open session to be followed by a five day work session to discuss all aspects of the situations in Darfour district in west Sudan. The agency said that the French foreign minister Michael Barnieh will play a role in these negotiations.

Officials say that the secretary general of the ruling party in Khartoum province, al-Haj Atta al-Mannan, will preside over the government's delegation and that the talks are a continuity of the talks held with other rebels from the "justice and equality movement" last March.

Both the "Justice and equality" and Sudan's Liberation' movements rebelled in Darfour in February 2003, saying they want their own just share of the authority and wealth. The two movements signed a truce with the government on April 8th, however, every and each side used to accuse the other of violating the truce.

Meantime, the EU foreign police coordinator Javier Solana announced the arrival of European observers to Sudan to help the African Federation to monitor the cease fire between the Sudanese government and the two rebels in Darfour.

The African federation is leading a UN team composed of 120 observers to monitor the truce.

The UN said that the conflict in Darfour resulted in the worst humanitarian catastrophe and a medical relief agency expected the death of thousands of persons because of the famine.