Sudanese direct Mashakos negotiations start today

Sudanese sources in Mashakos have expected that direct negotiations will start between the two delegations of the government and the rebels following 20 days of indirect negotiations between the two sides through international mediators from IGAD, the USA and Europe.

The sources said the beginning will start by discussing two items of the negotiations agenda, sharing the authority and the wealth, before discussing the item on security arrangements and ceasing fire.

A Kenyan source said that the negotiations, in general, achieved great progress and therefore it is not ruled out to conclude them before its official set time on September 14. The Kenyan sources added that both sides, the government and the rebels, actually agreed to share authority and distribute the wealth and the most difficult phase the current negotiations will face is the security arrangements because a cease fire will be the final result of these negotiations.

Meantime, the Sudanese foreign minister Mustafa Othman Ismael disclosed a request proposed by the British envoy for peace in Sudan to arrange an urgent meeting between him and the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and several Sudanese government official.

The Sudanese foreign minister said that Khartoum expects the arrival of the British envoy at any moment to Sudan, stressing that the Sudanese government does not know what the British envoy carries with him and that it does appreciate the British role for peace in Sudan.