Sudan Govt., Rebels Reach Agreement on Security

By Wangui Kanina

NAIVASHA, Kenya, Sept 24 (Reuters) – Sudan’s government and the biggest rebel group said on Wednesday they had cleared the main stumbling block in peace talks aimed at ending a 20-year-old war that has killed some two million people.

Security had been the biggest problem in almost three weeks of peace talks in Kenya between Sudan’s first vice president, Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, and John Garang, leader of the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA).

But differences remain on a host of other issues, including how to share power and wealth from lucrative southern oilfields.

“They have come to an agreement regarding the deployment of forces, the sizes of forces and other points which were sticking points during the past week,” said Said el-Khatib, a spokesman for the Sudanese government.

“On important matters that will pave the way for a comprehensive security arrangement deal, we have agreed on those,” he told a news conference.

An SPLA spokesman confirmed a security deal had been agreed in principle.

“The major obstacles of security arrangements have been resolved. What is remaining is to draft the text and other formalities,” SPLA’s Yasser Arman told Reuters.

Delegates say that the security deal provides for two downsized armies under one joint command. Integrated units made up of government troops and rebels would also be created.

El-Khatib said integrated units would be sent to the disputed Nuba Mountains and Southern Blue Nile, which along with Abyei, are regions claimed by both sides.

‘LOOKING HOPEFUL’

A Western diplomat in Sudan said he was optimistic that the warring parties would quickly reach an agreement on the remaining issues.

“In previous sessions, the issues of power-sharing and wealth-sharing had moved forward, but security had been on hold… This is definitely looking hopeful for an agreement,” the diplomat said.

“I imagine they will now take a break in the negotiations to go back to their bases and regroup for a week before returning to tackle issues of wealth and power-sharing,” he added.

Joseph Lagu, Sudan’s vice-president when the civil war erupted in 1983, said if security arrangements had been agreed then “the most difficult issue is almost over… then peace is on the horizon.”

“I think they have gone a long way. What now matters is whether that spirit will continue in the implementation,” said Lagu, who was speaking to Reuters from Britain by telephone.

Lagu led Anya-Nya guerrillas who signed a pact with the government to end fighting that ran from roughly 1956 to 1972.

Peace has eluded Sudan despite years of efforts to end the civil war, which broke out in 1983 and pits the Islamist government in the north against rebels fighting for greater autonomy in the mainly animist and Christian south.

However, there was one notable breakthrough last year when the two sides agreed to give southerners the right to a referendum on secession after a six-year transition period.

Taha, Garang and their aides in this round of talks are grappling with how to govern Sudan, Africa’s largest country, during this interim period.

Both sides signed an agreement on Monday to extend a truce, due to expire at the end of this month, for another two months.