Khartoum rejects negotiations on central areas before agreement on the south

In a statement, the Sudanese government announced yesterday it will not start negotiations about "central areas " before finalizing an agreement concerning the situation of southern Sudan.

The statement added that the Kenyan mediator, Lazaro Sombeyou, proposed to the Sudanese government convening a meeting with the southern rebels in on January 15 in order to discuss the fate of the central areas in Sudan which includes in particular al-Nouba mountains. However, the statement indicated that the government "considers that discussing any other aspect ( apart from the situation in the south ) should be postponed pending progress regarding the political aspect." Al-Nouba mountains where some 500,000 persons live have been witnessing fighting since years between the government forces and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (rebels). A cease fire agreement was held in January in Switzerland by the end of negotiations sponsored by the UN and this agreement was renewed until June 2003. It is however, decided that the Sudanese government and the rebels will hold this January a third session of negotiations in Kenya.