Sudanese government reiterates rejection of dialogue preparatory meeting
August 4, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese Presidential Assistant Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid reiterated his government refusal for a national dialogue preparatory meeting, adding that talks on the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access will start immediately after the signing of the Roadmap Agreement by the opposition.
“There is no room for a preparatory conference. The dialogue mentioned in the Roadmap Agreement is the one the President of the Republic called for in his speech of 2014,” he said.
“Once the opposition signs the roadmap we will hasten to sign an agreement on the cessation of hostilities and to end war permanently, after what we will move to the humanitarian access,” he added.
Following a meeting last July in Paris, the opposition Sudan Call groups said they would sign the Roadmap Agreement after talks with the AUHIP head on eight August .
They further said they received reassurances from the Chief Mediator Thabo Mbeki that the meeting mentioned in the Roadmap is actually the preparatory meeting and it would be inclusive as they can compose their delegation from all the factions of the opposition umbrella.
The presidential aide who leads the government negotiating delegation said that the government rejects the existence of two separate armies in the country adding that the political arrangements will be synchronized with the security arrangements.
The Sudanese official was referring to a demand by the Sudan Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N) to maintain two armies during the transitional period until the full implementation of the peace agreement.
Regarding the talks with the armed groups in Darfur region; he said the framework agreement with these groups would not take more than two weeks. He further added that the international community formed a commission to follow the implementation of security arrangements.
On the power sharing in the transitional government after end of the process, the presidential assistant said “We do not want a large ministerial government but if the power sharing would stop war we have no objection to increase the cabinet members because the bill of war is expensive”.
The Sudanese official told reporters that the African Union roadmap includes two steps to end the Sudanese crisis peacefully. The first is to end the armed conflicts and the second is to discuss the national issues in an inclusive national dialogue .
He added the purpose of the ongoing dialogue is to come out with a national document to manage the affairs of the state, but also through which an agreement will be reached on a system of governance and a permanent constitution will be adopted.
“The national document not be made by political parties alone, but all the Sudanese will be involved through the societal dialogue,” he added.
In a related development the opposition Future Forces of Change (FFC) announced they received an invitation from the AUHIP to attend the signing of the Roadmap Agreement by the opposition Sudan Call and the launch of talks on security arrangements and humanitarian assistance from 9 to 11 August.
(ST)