Sudan and Darfur rebels agree to end direct talks within two weeks

October 5, 2010 (DOHA) — Darfur peace talks will restart from where they left off last August, Sudanese government and rebels agreed today in Doha. The parties agreed to end direct talks within less than two weeks and settle the outstanding issues.

The steering committee composed from the Joint Chief Mediator, the Qatari state minister for foreign affairs besides Sudanese government and Liberation and Justice Movement delegations held today evening a meeting in Doha to sets agendas and schedules of the negotiations.

Sudanese government and Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) agreed to resume the work of the five negotiating committees to end the outstanding issues between them as of Wednesday until the 19th of October. After what the mediation will draft the final peace agreement in Darfur, State Minister Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud told reporters on Tuesday following the end of the meeting.

“We agreed to resume talks from where we left off,” told Sudan Tribune Tadjadine Bechir Niam, LJM secretary for peace negotiations. “The talks will continue from 6 to 15 October in order to complete outstanding issues,” he further said.

“We will work day and night,” he said to underline the determination of the two parties to reach a final agreement.

Since last June the two parties formed five committees to discuss topics they determined in a framework agreement signed in March. These panels include: Wealth Sharing, Compensation and Return of IDPs and Refugees, Security Arrangements, power Sharing and Administrative Status of Darfur, Justice and Reconciliation.

The steering committee will meet every three days to facilitate a compromise on the issues the panels fail to reach an agreement about.

The parties also agreed that the committee will conduct a complete review to the issues they have agreed on October 17.

Once the text of the deal is finalized, the parties agreed that the mediation can include other things it considers crucial to achieve a comprehensive peace agreement.

The chief mediator Djibril Bassole said last month planning to circulate a preliminary draft peace document to all the parties involved in the conflict without exception as it will serve as basis for a comprehensive peace agreement.

The peace document will be signed by the government and the LJM but also can serve as basis for discussion with other rebel groups.

The Qatari minister said they are optimistic about the participation of other movements in the negotiations the door is open for them to join the process. “We are confident they are keen to reach a peaceful solution”.

Bassole, for his part, said that the mediation is contact with all the parties involved in the conflict and working on a peace document acceptable for all the Darfurians and responding to their aspirations.

“We are keen to make Doha agreement a framework for a lasting solution to all the problems of Darfur,” the mediator said.

While LJM official called on the other rebel group “to join the ongoing efforts to reach a final peace agreement and to achieve the aspirations of Darfur people,” Niam said.

The Justice and Equality Movement led by Khalil Ibrahim and Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur are not part in the Doha peace talks. While JEM froze its participation last May the SLM never joint the process.

(ST)