SLM’s Minawi to arrive in Khartoum on 5 August

July 27, 2006 (KHARTOUM) – The leader of a former rebel Darfur group, Minni Arkoy Minawi is due to arrive in Khartoum on August 5 to mark the implementation of Darfur peace agreement.

The chairman of an advance delegation of Sudan Liberation Movement Minawi-faction, Abdelkarim Al-Sheikh announced the date of the arrival of Minawi to Khartoum, the state-run SUNA reported.

Al-Sheikh said that all preparations were finalized by a joint committee of the movement and the national unity government to receive Chairman of Sudan Liberation Movement, Minni Minawi.

He said that the arrival of Meni Arkoy affirms the seriousness of the former rebel group to reach a comprehensive peace and to implement the clauses of the Darfur Peace Agreement (PDA) on the ground.

Sudanese government and the former rebel group of Minawi signed the DPA in Abuja on 5 May this year. The two other negotiating rebel groups rejected the AU brokered deal, saying it failed to address key demands.

On the nomination of Meni Arkoy to the position of the Assistant of the President of the Republic, Al-Sheikh said that no decision was issued till now on this regard.

Meanwhile, Abdallah Abdelkarim of SLM said that his movement has filed a complaint to the UN Security Council against groups who tended to undermine the peace and stability in Darfur.

He disclosed that consultations are ongoing to convince Abdelwahid Mohamed al-Nur, the leader of another faction of the SLM, to join the Darfur peace agreement, adding that there will not be new agreements other than Darfur peace agreement.

He said that the deployment of international forces in Darfur is the responsibility of the government, adding that the government shall implement the peace agreement as soon as possible to avoid any trend for deployment of international forces in Darfur.

(ST)