Inter-Sudanese negotiations postponed
Sudan, Politics, 10/22/2004

Negotiations between the Sudanese government and the two rebel movements in Darfur which were due to start on Thursday in the Nigerian capital Abuja were postponed.

The African union which patrons these talks recommended postponing them because of the stumbled arrival of certain rebel leaderships. Earlier news reports said that the talks will be resumed today ( Friday) or tomorrow.

The humanitarian protocol which was signed by the two sides in September and has not been implemented yet will be on the forefront of the talks. The Protocol aims at protecting 1.5 million persons the US says were expelled from their homes in Darfur as well as guaranteeing the arrival of observers and rescue teams.

The chairman of the Sudanese delegation, minister of agriculture Majzoub al-Khaleifa, described the protocol as important and expected it will be signed within the few coming days, while head of the Justice And al-Musawat ( equity) movement, Ahmad Tawaqad, said that the movement is ready to join the negotiations but held Khartoum as responsible for its success.

The UN secretary general envoy to Sudan Jan Brunik expressed his hope that the talks in Abuja will achieve a progress similar to the talks taking place in Kenya over the conflict in southern Sudan.

Abuja talks, however, coincide with the arrival of the first vanguards of the African force to Darfur after the Sudanese government has accepted to increase the number by 7 folds and to increase its authority to include entering the refugee camps and investigate violations attributed to the Sudanese security forces.

These talks also coincide with a forthcoming meeting between the Sudanese foreign minister Mustafa Othman Ismael and the UN secretary general envoy before submitting his monthly report to the UN Security Council over the situation in Darfur.

Previous Stories:
  African forces in Darfur   (10/21/2004)
  Sudan's ambassador: Five-way summit paves way to Darfur crisis settlement   (10/20/2004)
  Asmara accuses Khartoum of trying to assassinate Afourki   (10/20/2004)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search