Germany vows to continue to facilitate Sudan’s peace talks
April 23, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – The German Ambassador to Khartoum Ulrich Klöckner said his country would continue its efforts to facilitate peace talks between the Sudanese government and the rebel movements.
In an interview with the semi-official Sudan Media Center (SMC) on Monday, the German envoy said his government is working with the African Union since two years to facilitate Sudan’s peace talks and bring the holdout political parties to the negotiating table.
He pointed out that they have invited the various opposition parties and the rebel movements and the Sudanese government to Berlin at different occasions for consultations during the last four years.
The German diplomat said his government doesn’t want to force the parties to the Sudanese conflict to reach an agreement saying such a move could lead to the collapse of talks.
He added they are optimistic that the warring parties would reach a peace agreement, hoping this to take place “very soon”.
The African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) led by former South African President Thabo Mbeki proposed a holistic process to end the armed conflicts and produce political reforms in Sudan.
Last week, the delegations representing the Government of Sudan, Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Sudan Liberation Movement of Minni Minnawi ended two-day discussions in Berlin without signing a pre-negotiation agreement.
The two sides say willing for a negotiated settlement but failed to agree on how to proceed. The government put on the negotiating table the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, but the armed groups say they want a new process on new bases, not this framework text signed in July 2011 with other former rebel groups.
(ST)