Sudan says peace in darfur represents a strategic choice

Nov 21, 2005 (KHARTOUM) — The Higher Committee for Darfur chaired by the president Omar al-Beshir, and his two deputies, Salva Kiir Mayardit and Ali Osman Taha, has announced that peace in Darfur represented a strategic choice which the government and its institutions are seeking to seriously achieve.

Sudanese displaced women with their children wait for medical attention at a World Doctors health center in Drage camp, on the outskirts of the town of Nyala in southern Darfur..

The committee affirmed yesterday that it was committed to the ceasefire and preparing a suitable atmosphere to make the forthcoming Abuja talks a success, as well as coordinate both on the federal and state levels to support and improve the security and humanitarian situation Darfur which the world has been witnessing.

The committee urged Darfur rebel groups to commit to a cease fire, unite ranks and participate in the forthcoming coming talks seriously and make it a success as well as raise the national interest as well as the interest of the Darfur citizens.

Also, it expressed its appreciation to the AU for sponsoring the talks and to all the countries and organizations which participated in humanitarian support and the repatriation of immigrants and refugees to their villages.

In a press statement the president’s advisor and chairman of the political committee in the Higher Committee and chairman of the government negotiating committee, Majzoub al-Khalifah, said that the meeting discussed the flow of talks in light of the forthcoming Abuja talks. It also discussed the preparations being made by the political committee and the government delegation.

Al-Khalifah said that they were prepared according to the constitution, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the Ndjamena and Abuja agreements, for a political solution during the seventh round of talks.

(ST)