Peace negotiations on Darfur stumble, Egypt supports Sudan's efforts to control the situation
Sudan, Politics, 9/15/2004

It was announced in the Nigerian capital Abuja yesterday that the negotiations between the Sudanese government and Darfur rebels stopped because of the two sides stuck to their own stands, while the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak expressed " Egypt's complete support for the Sudanese efforts to restore back things to normal in Darfur district.

Well-informed sources said that the negotiations were pended suddenly, 10 minutes after the return back of the participants to the table of negotiations. One international observer of the negotiations said that the chairman of the session, the Nigerian al-Jaber Hamid, explained to the delegations that it was not possible to make changes on the draft agreement laid by the African Union after the two sides persisted to stick to their own positions.

The negotiations have been pending since last Friday and each of the delegations, separately talked with the mediators of the African union, especially with the special envoy of the African organization to Darfur, the former President of Nigeria Abdul Salam Abu Baker. One of the representatives of the Sudan's liberation movement Bahhar Ibrahim said that " the headquarters of the African union asked us if there is a likely change in our positions, but the sides stuck to their positions." He added " the negotiations will be resumed later."

However, the spokesman for the Egyptian presidency Majid Abdul Fattah said in conclusion of a meeting in Alexandria between Mubarak and the Sudanese foreign minister Mustafa Othman Ismael that the Egyptian president stressed Egypt's complete support and readiness to provide all possible aid to achieve that ( normalization of conditions ) as well as taking part in every and each African or international efforts aiming at empowering Sudan controlling the situation." He stressed that Egypt " is making contact with the international community to concentrate on ways of supporting Sudan to deal with the situation in Darfur instead of escalating in dealing with this situation."

On bilateral relations between Egypt and Sudan, Abdul Fattah indicated that the Sudanese foreign minister " explained that the 'four freedom' agreements were put into actual implementation as from September 8," stressing Sudan's desire to use this agreement in order to support areas of co-operation between Egypt and Sudan within the context of an integrated plan Sudan seeks through which to develop its relations with all neighboring states."

Previous Stories:
  Egypt, China refuse imposition of sanctions on Sudan, Washington is ready to amend its proposal at the UNSC   (9/14/2004)
  Some 10,000 Sudanese are dying monthly in Darfur   (9/14/2004)
  U.S. presents new resolution on Darfur to U.N.   (9/11/2004)

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