Sudanese rebel leader briefs UN chief on peace process

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 24 (AFP) — Sudanese rebel leader John Garang on Monday briefed UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on progress made during peace talks in the country, the United Nations said in a statement.

The head of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) explained in detail the security arrangements that have already been agreed upon, and Annan reaffirmed the will of the United Nations to help Sudan finalize the agreements, the statement said.

Sudan’s war erupted in 1983 when Garang’s SPLA took up arms to end domination of the mainly Christian and animist south by the Arabised, Muslim north.

The war has left 1.5 million people dead and four million displaced.

After meeting with US Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington last Friday, Garang said that a peace accord to end Sudan’s 20-year civil war would probably be reached within weeks.

Talks at Naivasha, Kenya, which have been on hold since late October are set to resume November 30, said Gerang, noting that he and Sudan’s Vice President Ali Osman Taha were to meet for talks around December 5.

Powell attended peace talks in Naivasha on October 22, saying at the time that the Khartoum government and opposition were prepared to negotiate for an accord by the end of December.