Mediation adjourns talks on Sudan’s Two Areas on statements against Hemetti
February 8, 2020 (JUBA) – Sudanese government and the SPLM-N led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu will resume peace talks on Monday after a rift over statements by a rebel negotiator against the head of Khartoum negotiating team.
Sudanese government negotiating team on Saturday suspended the talks to protest statements by Mohamed Jalal Hashim, a member of the SPLM-N al-Hilu delegation, criticising Mohamed Hamdan Daglo (Hemetti) saying ” “The one who kills cannot achieve peace.”
The government officials on Saturday demanded that the SPLM-N al-Hilu formally apologizes for an offence Hashim made in the video against Hemetti. Also, they handed over a copy of the video to the South Sudanese mediation and asked to exclude him from the negotiating table.
The Movement’s Spokesman, Jack Mahmud, however, told “Sudan Tribune” that the South Sudanese mediation informed them about the resumption of negotiations with the Sudanese government on Monday.
He further confirmed the government’s demand for an apology before to state they had “categorically refused to apologize”.
“After that, the mediation decided to adjourn the session to reconvene on Monday morning,” he added, stressing that the mediation did not suspend the talks but adjourned it.
For his part, the government negotiating team spokesman Mohamed al-Hassan al-Taishi confirmed that the negotiations have been adjourned to Monday.
In a statement issued on Saturday, he reiterated the government’s commitment to the peace talks with the SPLM-N al-Hilu.
Negotiations have not been suspended between the Sudanese government and the SPLM-North al-Hilu. The government remains committed to the negotiation schedule set by the mediation,” he said.
The stalled talks between the two sides have not achieved any progress as the SPLM-N al-Hilu demands to discuss the secular state and self-determination for the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states.
South Sudanese Presidential Adviser and mediator Tut Galtuak told reporters that the other tracks for Darfur and eastern Sudan would continue to Sunday.
The peace process in Juba is expected to end on 14 February, as it was agreed by the parties to the negotiations.
(ST)