Sudanese government, Darfur rebels, begin new round of talks in Chad

By Sudanese TV

KHARTOUM, Dec 15, 2003 — A new round of negotiations have began in the Chadian capital Ndjamena to find a peaceful solution for Darfur [western Sudan] under the auspices of Chadian President Idris Deby.

The chairman of the [Sudanese] government negotiating team said: “We have come [to the peace talks] with open heart and mind.” Babikr Tahir has enough details.

[Babikr]: No sooner had the sun set in Ndjamena, than a new round of peace talks began in which the negotiators expressed hopes that it would be the final one, as positive developments dominate the Sudanese political arena. The government negotiating delegation, soon after its arrival in Chadian capital, Ndjamena, held talks with the Chadian president, who, in his own words, stressed the importance of a peaceful settlement to the Darfur region, and ending hotbeds and conflicts in the region.

The Chadian president said his recent visit to Khartoum and discussions with President Umar al-Bashir, showed the strong support for the negotiation process between the government and the Darfur movement.

For his part, the head of the government delegation said: “We have arrived with clear hearts and minds”, with utmost hopes of combining Sudanese and Chadian efforts, to make the talks a success this time round and reduce the gap of differences and tension in the Darfur region.

He said President [Al-Bashir’s] message was crystal clear which called for expediting the peaceful solutions in Darfur.

Probably, the Ndjamena negotiations, which are surrounded by an atmosphere of high optimism, begin from where the two sides stopped [last time]in Abache [Chad], something that makes the two sides come closer as demanded by the political willingness of both [Sudanese] government and the mediating Chadian.