SSDF welcomes continued peace process in Sudan, urges U.S. support

KHARTOUM, Oct 01, 2003 (dpa) — Pro-government South Sudanese Defence forces (SSDF) Tuesday called on the U.S. President George Bush not to abandon support for the peace process in Sudan, after the SSDF announced it would back arrangement made between the government and SPLA rebels.

SSDF commander-in-chief Paulino Matip in a statement Tuesday vowed that his forces would respect the provision of security and military arrangements reached between the government and SPLA.

Arrangements reached by both parties, stress that the government should demobilise and reduce its forces strength; a step which would automatically lead to disarming of pro-government forces in the interim period.

This agreement affirms the government’s keeness to bring about just and durable peace in the country, Matip stated in the press Tuesday.

Matip further described the deal as the most difficult issue to be achieved by the parties, thus ruling out any obstacle to peace talks in the future.

The SSDF was established in 1997 by the Khartoum Peace agreement signed between the government and six-defected southern rebels from the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army.

Sudanese peace talks are due to resume on October 6, 2003 in the Republic of Kenya.

Sudanese Vice President Ali Osman Taha, who achieved a breakthrough arrangement with SPLA leader John Garang de Mabior in Kenya last week, said Saturday that they would next meet in Nairobi on October 15 to complete negotiations on what has remained of the issues in the peace process.