Sudan calls for positive US role in peace process, mediators to renew efforts
KHARTOM, Aug 21 (AFP) — Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir has sent a message to President George W. Bush reiterating his government’s commitment to peace and calling on the United States to play an effective role in the Sudan peace process, the Sudanese foreign minister said.
Mustafa Ismail also called on the eastern African body mediating talks to make new proposals to overcome the deadlock between Khartoum and southern rebels.
Beshir said his government “looks forward to a positive and effective role to be played by the US for pushing the Kenya peace negotiations forward,” Ismail told reporters here.
The message was sent now because the negotiations between Khartoum and the south Sudanese rebel movement in Kenya are experiencing a deadlock, noted Ismail.
Meanwhile, the minister denied any arrangements for a meeting at the present time between Beshir and Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) leader John Garang.
“This does not imply that the government is opposed to the meeting in principle,” said Ismail, noting the two men had previously met twice.
However, such a meeting could be held if it turned out that it would boost the stumbling peace negotiations, said the foreign minister.
“If the government is interested in mending fences with other political forces, it should naturally be more interested in building bridges with the popular movement (SPLA) because it will be a major ruling partner if a peace agreement is concluded.”
As for the work of mediators, he said: “We want the Nakuru draft to come among other documents, rather than the sole basis for negotiations.”
He was referring to a draft unveiled by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) at talks held last month in Nakuru, Kenya, between Khartoum and the SPLA.
The document was submitted again at the current round of talks in Nanyuki, Kenya, despite Khartoum’s objections. The government says the draft provides for measures that would ultimately lead to the secession of southern Sudan.
“The government has no objection to placing the Nakuru draft along with other documents on the negotiating table as it provides for sharing power and resources,” said Ismail.
Khartoum and the SPLA struck an accord in July 2002 granting the south the right to self-determination after a six-year transition period and exempting the mainly Christian and animist south from Islamic laws.
But Khartoum and the rebels are still wrangling on how power and resources can be shared during the interim period, as well as security arrangements.
The conflict has claimed at least 1.5 million lives and displaced four million people.
IGAD, which is mediating the peace talks, groups Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda and Somalia, under the chairmanship of Kenya.