Efforts in support of inter- Sudanese negotiations

Chief Kenyan negotiator in the Government Commission for Development for East Africa states IGAD, Lazaros Sobyeyo, to the current Sudanese talks between the government and the rebels have expressed his hope to sign an agreement between the two sides in light of the negotiations which were held along the five past weeks.

The Kenyan official told the press that efforts are being made to enable the two sides to reach agreement following these talks.

Meantime, a western mediator to these negotiations said that great progress was achieved in the round of talks, and he expected that all unsettled issues will be submitted to the forthcoming round of talks in January.

He expressed his confidence that the two sides will achieve a result despite the failure of the efforts to convince them to sign a comprehensive agreement to share authority and resources.

For his part, the official spokesman for the rebels, Samsoun Kawaji, said that IGAD gave a grace period, until today, in order to reach a solution. Analysists say that the efforts of the international community which were exerted in the recent talks to calm down conditions in Sudan, were the greatest since the eruption of rebel activities in southern Sudan since 1983.

Worthy mentioning that among the main pending issues between the two sides are the size of southern Sudan representation in the national government and means of sharing the resources