African mediators present new draft on ceasefire deal in Dafur
April 6, 2006 (ABUJA) — The African mediators presented to the Sudanese parties in the peace talks here a revised version of the proposed enhanced ceasefire agreement, to adopt it during the next days.
The Head of the AU Mediation Team, Ambassador Sam Ibok today Thursday, 6 April 2006, chaired a Plenary Session of the Security Arrangements Commission at which he presented to the Sudanese Parties the draft Enhanced Ceasefire Agreement for Darfur (ECAD) – the outcome of intensive consultations on the document on the same subject previously submitted to the Parties on 12 March 2006.
Ibok said that the ECAD reflects the demands and concerns expressed by the parties on the initial version, addresses the grey areas in the N’Djamena Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement of 8 April, 2004, and strengthens its implementation mechanisms.
The rebel groups objected the initial version saying it immobilises the movement of their troops and weakens their military position on the ground.
Ibok, stated that the current version would create the confidence necessary for the parties to move on to tackle the outstanding important issues such as Demobilization, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) and the final status of the forces, thus paving the way for the conclusion of a comprehensive ceasefire agreement.
The AU has set a deadline of April 30 for the Abuja talks to yield an agreement. As well as the deal itself, the possibility of sending U.N. troops into Darfur is at stake because Khartoum has said it will consider a transition from an AU to a U.N. force only after a deal is signed.
Ibok announced that another Plenary would be convened on Sunday 9 April 2006 to consider the Document. He enjoined the Parties to waste no time in looking into the Document so that it can be finalized during Sunday’s Plenary.
On the other hand he said, by the middle of the present month, the AU Mediation would table a package of proposals on the three Commissions (Power and Wealth Sharing as well as the Security Arrangements Commissions).
The “Enhanced Ceasefire Agreement for Darfur” entails a series of steps and movements on the ground all of which the AU Mediation expects will pave the way for a final comprehensive ceasefire agreement.
African heads of state will push the warring parties from Sudan’s Darfur region to clinch a peace agreement at a meeting on April 8 that all sides said on Tuesday could help break the deadlock.
Congo Republic’s President Denis Sassou Nguesso, current chairman of the African Union (AU), Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and AU Commission Chairman Alpha Oumar Konare are due to take part in Saturday’s meeting in the Nigerian capital.
The Sudan government delegation said Vice-President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha would also come to Abuja on Saturday in what observers said was perhaps a signal Khartoum would be willing to make new concessions.
“Vice-President Taha would not be coming if the talks hadn’t reached a critical stage … I expect dramatic developments in the next few days,” said a government delegate.
(ST)