On southern Sudan talks

It was announced in Nairobi on Tuesday that the talks aimed at finding a solution to the problem in southern Sudan waged since 17 years ago, had started seriously, following long inaugural consultations.

Well-informed sources in Nairobi said the talks were opened in Nairobi on Saturday, but the representatives of the government and the rebellions only started direct talks late on Monday night.

The Sudanese governmental delegation is led by the Sudanese president's advisor for peace affairs, Nafe Ali Nafe, while the rebel delegation is led by Nahyal Dang Nahyal, the foreign relations official at the rebel movement.

A spokesman for the rebels said the two sides were able to agree on the timetable for the talks in a plenary session held late on Monday night.

This is the fifth round of talks between the two sides at the mediation of IGAD (the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development).

The talks have not achieved much progress toward ending the war, which claimed the life of more than 1.5 million persons.