Senior U.S. official says deal to end 20-year civil war in Sudan is close

By RODRIQUE NGOWI Associated Press Writer

KIGALI, Rwanda, Oct. 14, 2003 (AP) — The Sudanese government and southern rebels are close to reaching a peace deal to end the 20-year civil war in Africa’s largest country, the top U.S. diplomat for Africa said Tuesday.

Since peace talks began in July 2002, the Sudanese government and the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army, or SPLA, “have come a very long way,” working out tough compromises on issues such as security arrangements and the broad outlines of power and wealth sharing, said Walter Kansteiner, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs.

“We are very close to seeing peace in a country that’s had 20 years of war,” Kansteiner told reporters in the Rwandan capital, Kigali. “We are hopeful that it is literally weeks away.”

Kansteiner was in Kigali to discuss regional security issues with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, including efforts to end conflicts in neighboring Congo and Burundi.

The civil war in Sudan broke out in 1983 when southern rebels took up arms against the predominantly Arab and Muslim northern government in a bid to obtain greater autonomy for the largely animist and Christian south.

Although often simplified as a religious war, the conflict is also fueled by competition for oil, land and other resources. An estimated 2 million people have died in the conflict, mainly through war-induced famine and disease.

Shortly after the talks started, the rebels agreed to allow Islamic law in the north in exchange for the right to hold a referendum on independence for the south after a six-year transition period.

But following that early breakthrough, progress was limited. However, after three weeks of talks between Sudanese Vice President Ali Osman Mohammed Taha and rebel leader John Garang last month, the parties agreed on security arrangements for the interim period, crucially allowing the SPLA to retain its forces in the south.

The talks, which are being hosted by Kenya, resumed Oct. 7 and Garang and Taha are expected to return to the negotiations later this week.

The negotiations are being held under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, a regional agency. The United States, Britain and Norway are also involved in the peace process.