Libya to host African mini-summit on Darfur: Kadhafi

TRIPOLI, May 11 (AFP) — Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi announced Wednesday that Tripoli is to host an African mini-summit on Sudan’s war-torn region of Darfur on May 16.

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi leads noon prayers with a Sudanese delegation from Darfur before their meeting in his traditional tent in Tripoli, Libya, Monday May 9, 2005. (AP) .

“The meeting will take place in Tripoli at the request of many of you,” Kadhafi said in front of representatives of two Darfur rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement.

The summit, grouping Chad, Egypt, Libya, Nigeria and Sudan but not the rebels was initially due to be held in Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh next week.

The rebels asked the Libyan leader for financial support of seven million dollars and funds to compensate their ethnic minority supporters for the ravages of the Sudanese security forces and their Arab militia allies.

They also agreed to resume peace talks with Khartoum, to respect an April 2004 ceasefire and asked Kadhafi to defend their interests at the summit.

A similar five-way meeting over Darfur — also without the presence of the rebel movements — was held in Libya in October 2004 but failed to yield any significant results.

The rebels have accused the Sudanese regime of pursuing a “war of extermination” against Darfur’s minorities since they launched their uprising two years ago.

As many as 300,000 people have died in the conflict and more than two million more fled their homes, according to a British parliamentary committee report.