AU urges Sudanese negotiators to conclude Darfur talks

Feb 8, 2006 (ABUJA) — The African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security, Saïd Djinnit yesterday 7 February arrived to Abuja from AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, to exhort Darfur peace negotiators to redouble their efforts to speedily conclude the Talks.

Ambassador Djinnit, while stressing that “time is not on our side”, called upon the Sudanese Parties to work speedily to achieve a breakthrough before the end of this month, said the AU spokesperson Noureddine Mezni in a press statement.

Ambassador Djinnit who has since held several working sessions with the AU Special Envoy Salim Ahmed Salim and the Mediation Team, today attended a Plenary Session of the Power Sharing Commission.

Taking the floor before the end of the meeting, Ambassador Djinnit commended the AU Special Envoy, the Sudanese Parties and the other stakeholders for the efforts being deployed to move the Peace Process forward.

He however voiced the disappointment of African leaders and the International Community at the slow pace of the Talks and the “very modest progress” achieved, including the fact that the Sudanese Parties had failed to keep their pledge to reach a comprehensive peace agreement by the end of December 2005.

Nonetheless, he observed that some progress had been made in the Power Sharing Commission as well as in the Wealth Sharing and Security Arrangements Commissions.

The AU Commissioner for Peace and Security urged the Parties to approach the negotiations with an enhanced spirit of give and take, be more forthcoming and show greater understanding in addressing the concerns of the other Side, with a view to bridging the existing gaps.

The AU Commissioner for Peace and Security will on Thursday, 9 February hold separate meetings with the representatives of the Movements, the Government of the Sudan and the International Partners.

(ST)