Ismael: Sudan's peace talks enter decisive phase

The Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Othman Ismael said that the current ongoing negotiations held in Kenya between the governments and the southern rebels will stop for two weeks as from July 20 in order to study and evaluate concluded results.

Ismael added that the negotiations have started discussions on basic issues. He noted that John Danforth, the American special envoy for peace in Sudan will arrive in Khartoum in the second half of July.

Ismael, on the other hand, denied the fact that the Sudanese government has been behind the split that took place in Umma party. He stressed that the government's welcome to the decision of the "al-Islah Waltajdid" (renewal and reform) group to take part in the government does not mean the government was behind that split.