Sudden delay in Sudanese peace talks with Garang

The Sudanese government announced the postponement of peace talks between the government and rebels in southern Sudan led by John Garang until May 4, instead of April 30, in Nairobi.

In a statement he made on Sunday, Sudanese Foreign Minister Moustafa Othman Ismael said Kenya, which hosts the peace talks in Nairobi, informed the Sudanese government of the new meeting date. He gave no explanation for the postponement of the talks.

Ismael stressed Sudan's desire to take part in the next round of peace talks in Nairobi after, "War has proven as not the best way to settle disputes." The last round of peace talks between the two sides was held in Kenya in November 1997 but yielded no decisive results.