Sudan says accord with Eastern rebels by end of October

Aug 11, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — The presidential adviser, Mustafa Osman Ismail, has said he expects a peace accord to be signed with the Eastern Front rebels towards the end of the month of Ramadan (end of October).

Ismail, who is the chairman of the government delegation to the Asmara peace talks, said the accord would be final and would be a model for resolving problems.

The third round of east Sudan peace talks opened late on Monday 7 August in what promises to be a long road to resolving a lingering low-level revolt in the economically important region of the country.

Addressing a press conference today, Ismail stressed the government’s keenness to conduct dialogue with a view to bringing about stability and peace.

The talks will discuss wealth and power sharing and security arrangements.

In this session the peace talks between the Sudanese government and the rebel eastern Front engage two committees. The joint committee charged with discussing economic, social services and cultural issue will deal with questions of wealth, development, social services. The second meeting will be for the joint Committee on military and security Arrangement, will look into final military and security matters.

Matters dealing with political issues of governance and power “will be held later in a joint meeting” between the two parties, said a press statement issued by the Eritrean mediator.

Eritrean military observers had moved in after the U.N. withdrawal to the border town of Kassala to monitor the security situation but she could not confirm they were still present in the area.

In June, Sudan’s government and the eastern rebels signed a pact to cease hostilities and agreed a framework for future talks.

(ST)