Sudan favorable to include two SLM factions in peace talks

Nov 7, 2005 (KHARTOUM) — The government has made public the possibility of including disputing leaders of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), Abdelwahed Mohamed al-Nur and Minni Arko Minnawi, in the next round of Abuja talks on Darfur slated for 20 November.

Speaking to Al-Khartoum, presidential adviser and head of the government delegation to the talks, Majzoub al-Khalifah (photo), said the recent (SLM) conference had paved the way for the formation of two groups in Darfur, the Sudan Liberation Army and the Sudan Liberation Movement.

However, Al-Khalifa also affirmed the government’s wish for unification of the SLM, saying there were international initiatives led by the UN to unify the two factions by bringing them together in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, on Wednesday 9 November.

Al-Khalifa further said that in order to achieve peace that will be honoured by all, the government did not want to exclude any side from negotiations. He said this could not be achieved unless all movements in Darfur participated in negotiations, and that although the government was currently negotiating with two movements it was capable of negotiating with others.

With regards to repeated violations in Darfur, Al-Khalifa said that the international community and the AU blamed the SLA for the violations in various areas in Darfur states over the past few weeks, which had led to the obstruction of the delivery of aid to those in need, and had severed transport between the Darfur states.

(ST)