Minawi cautiously welcomes Eritrea’s mediation
Nov 6, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — A former rebel leader in western Sudanese region of Darfur, who has reached a peace deal with the government, has cautiously welcomed on Sunday Eritrea’s initiativeto host negotiations between the Sudanese government and rebel groups which still reject the peace accord.
“We encourage any dialogue which can lead to the end of the bloodshed in Darfur on the condition that the dialogue is held in the framework of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA),” said Mini Arkou Minawi, leader of the main faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM).
Minawi signed the African Union-sponsored DPA with the Sudanesegovernment in Nigerian capital Abuja on May 5, and was sworn in asa senior assistant of the Sudanese president on Aug. 7 in Khartoum.
Other rebel groups, including another SLM main faction led by Abu al-Wahed Mohammed al-Nour, and the Justice and Equality Movement led by Khalil Ibrahim, have refused to sign the DPA, claiming that the agreement was unfair and did not meet all their demands.
Last week, An Eritrean delegation visited Khartoum where they held consultations with Sudanese officials on Asmara’s initiative to host peace talks between the Sudanese government and the rebel leaders who have not signed the DPA.
Minawi said he could contribute to success of this initiative and would send representatives to take part in the peace talks in Asmara as observers, adding that any dialogue being held outside what had been agreed on in Abuja was unacceptable at all.
He disclosed that contacts between him and the armed movements which had not signed the DPA were continuing, adding that positiveresults had come out of the contacts, including the cease-fire by several movements.
Menawi said that his movement would play a positive role to convince the other movements and factions to join the peace process in Darfur.
He warmly welcomed a recent decree issued by Sudanese PresidentOmer al-Bashir to release a number of political detainees, saying the decree came as a part of the efforts to implement the DPA.
(Xinhua)