Sudan rebels disagree on peace

Sudan's president and its main rebel group disagreed on July 9 on whether Khartoum's acceptance of a framework for negotiations cleared the way for resumed talks to end 14 years of civil war.

Sudanese president Lt. Gen. Omar Hassan Bashir said the framework, or "declaration of principles," was not binding after a summit of regional leaders described it as a basis for discussion.

In response, a spokesman for the main Sudanese rebel group, the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), said it could not resume negotiations with Bashir after a break of nearly three years unless the framework was binding on both parties.

"We will not go to talks if Bashir sticks to his position that the declaration is not binding," said SPLA spokesman George Maker Benjamin in Nairobi. Talks in Nairobi between Bashir and SPLA leader John Garang mediated by regional states broke down in September 1994 when Khartoum refused to sign the declaration of principles after the rebels had.

The declaration included the separation of religion and the state and the principle of self-determination for south Sudan.

Leaders from Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan and Djibouti and a representative of Uganda earlier on July 9 hailed the Sudanese acceptance of the declaration as "a major breakthrough " in the long struggle for peace in Sudan.