Sudan admits the signing of Darfur agreement was a mistake
May 13, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan has acknowledged that the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement with one rebel faction was a mistake, nonetheless it reaffirmed commitment to the peace deal signed in Abuja on May 2006.
Presidential Advisor Mustafa Osman Ismail admitted that his government made a mistake by signing the peace agreement in Abuja with one faction only, something that made the factions that did not sign seek to weaken the faction that did sign.
Ismail emphasized that the government was committed to the Abuja Agreement and had no preconditions for talks with the non-signatories rebels groups, including the time and place of the meeting, the Sudanese Al-Sahafa reported on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference at the Sudanese Embassy in Abu-Dhabi on Thursday May 10, Ismail said that Khartoum rejected international pressures on trying those accused of war crimes in Darfur. He said the Security Council had backtracked on Resolution 1706 but the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor was still exercising pressure.
Ismail said the government had agreed to an internal trial under international and external supervision, in which the same accusations are levelled. He played down the effectiveness of international pressure in this connection, adding that only diplomatic efforts were capable of solving the crisis.
Regarding the negative reaction to the Saudi reconciliation initiative between Sudan and Chad, the presidential advisor said the Saudi move comes in the context of the Arab League Summit, but he hailed the Libyan role in the resolution of Darfur crisis. However, he added that there is no reason for susceptibleness in this regard. He further reiterated Sudan’s commitment to Tripoli agreement. He pointed out the importance of Saudi Arabia as the largest Arab country that helps Sudan in the humanitarian fields.
Ismail said it was the right of the government to defend itself against the armed movements, even by using military aircraft.
On the clashes that took place in Khartoum between the Sudanese police and the SLM-Minawi soldiers, he said that the security of the capital was “a red line on which we shall accept no bargaining”.
(ST)