Former Darfur rebel leader calls for speed-up of peace talks
December 10, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — A former rebel leader in the conflict-torn western Sudanese region of Darfur called on Monday for a speed-up of peace negotiations between the government and rebel movements, which were resumed in Libya’s coastal city of Sirte on Oct. 27.
Minawi was appointed as a senior assistant to the Sudanese president after signing the Darfur Peace Process (DPA) in 2005 to become the first rebel leader reaching a peace deal with the Sudanese government.
He told reporters that he had discussed with Eliasson the humanitarian and security situations in Darfur, adding that the situations there had impacted and overcasted some neighboring countries.
Eliasson described his meeting with Minawi as “frank and positive”, disclosing that he briefed the latter outcomes of his visits in Darfur during the past several days and his consultations with a number of leaders and field commanders of rebel movements.
“There is a big hope that these (rebel) leaders will take part in the next round of peace talks in Sirte,” the UN envoy noted.
The UN envoy arrived in Khartoum on Wednesday to continue mediation efforts to push forward the peace process in Darfur.
The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) announced in a statement on Sunday that Eliasson had held meetings on Thursday with the leadership and field commanders of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) -Unity leadership in North Darfur and made a phone call on Friday to Khalil Ibrahim, leader of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).
Under the joint mediation of the UN and the African Union, the Sudanese government resumed peace talks in Sirte on Oct. 27 with some seven rebel groups which were termed by Sudanese media as ” internet movements” for their little influence among the Darfurians.
The boycott of the main rebel groups, including the JEM and the SLA-Unity had made it difficult to reach tangible results during the present negotiations.
(Xinhua)