Washington, London pressure, the UN interferes, Khartoum accuses the Americans of foiling the negotiations
Sudan-USA, Politics, 7/22/2004

Khartoum yesterday announced readiness to resume negotiations over Darfur, if the African mediators are able to arrange new negotiations with the rebels and accused Washington of foiling these negotiations which the African Union is trying to revive now.

The Sudanese foreign minister Mustafa Othman Ismael said following a meeting with his French counterpart Michael Barnie in Paris that his country is ready to resume the negotiations over the crisis in Darfur, if the African mediators are able to arrange new negotiations with the rebels. Ismael added he had stressed to the French FM Sudan's total readiness to take part in the second round of the negotiations as soon as the African Union sets a date for convening it. He indicated that his government is committed to ensure the arrival of international aids to vulnerable and effected people in the district.

The French Foreign minister announced that he will head for Darfur on July 27th where he will be visiting al-Fasher area to the north and later Njamina in Chad as well as Senegal and South Africa. Othman stressed that Khartoum will abide by its obligation to dismantle the weapons of the militias which is accused of committing grave violations in the district.

It is, however, decided that officials from the African federation will be meeting today with representatives for the rebels in an attempt to revive the peace talks. Swiss officials said that officials from Chad will take part in the talks. The US announced by its secretary of state Colin Powell that it is "very disappointed" over Sudan's will in challenging of the Arab militias in Darfur while Khartoum accused the US of foiling the talks.

Powell told journalists that he had notified the Sudanese leaders on Sunday on the fears of Washington. He said that he and the President George W. Bush and the international community are still "completely disappointed towards the security situation." He continued " There are still acts of rape and the people do not feel secure if they leave the camps in search of food and the situation is still very grave and in the first place the problem of security should be dealt with." Khartoum answered that the American pressures encouraged the rebels to cling to their demands to disarming the Jangaweid before making a complete dialogue and to quit the talks supported by the African federation in Addis Ababa. Othman said in Khartoum that the " attempts currently made by the UN Security Council and other parts send negative signals and were among the elements of foiling the political talks in Addis Ababa. "

For his part, the British prime minister Tony Blair said that his country intends to " continue pressure " on Khartoum in order to put an end to the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. He said before the British House of Commons that the priority now is for working on aid regardless to its quality to reach people of in need and also to continue pressures on the Sudanese government to make sure that it solves the problems which caused violence and confrontation among races." The secretary general of the UN Kofi Annan said that the UN will interfere in Darfur if the Sudanese government will not dismantle the weapons of the Jangaweid which said to have had made " flagrant and organized " violations of human rights in the district.

On the other hand, mediators at the talks between the Sudanese government and the people's movement for the liberation of Sudan said that the talks will be transferred from Nivasha to Nairobi, Kenya.

Previous Stories:
  Washington, London describe situations in Darfur as grave   (7/21/2004)
  Bush urges Sudan to halt violence in Darfur   (7/14/2004)
  Washington faces opposition at the UN Security Council, Khartoum warns against repeating the Iraqi crisis   (7/10/2004)

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