African Darfur talks fail to create deal

Nov 22, 2006 (TRIPOLI) — Leaders from five African nations concluded a meeting in Libya with no announcement of an agreement regarding an end to violence in Sudan’s Darfur region.

A Libyan official familiar with the talks said the leaders — from Chad, Central African Republic, Egypt, Eritrea and Sudan — rejected international pressure that has been put on Sudan to accept additional peacekeepers in the troubled region, the BBC reported Wednesday.

“They want an African solution to their problems without external intervention and without putting pressure on Sudan,” said Ali Triki, Libya’s head of African Affairs.

However, the meeting did result in Sudan and Chad agreeing to a truce, the BBC said. Both nations had accused the other of backing rebel groups and Chad had accused Sudan of sending pro-government militias from Darfur across the border in the past month.

The U.N. Security Council is to meet this week to draw up plans for the United Nations to assist African Union troops currently in Darfur.

(UPI)