Uganda describes as “diversionary” rebels demand to move peace talks

Feb 4, 2007 (KAMPALA) — Uganda has described rebel LRA demand to move the peace talks from southern Sudan as diversionary while Kenya has clearly rejected the rebel demand to host the negotiations.

President Yoweri Museveni has reiterated the Government position that the venue and the mediator cannot be changed, describing the LRA demands as diversionary., the Ugandan New Vision reported.

During a talk-show on Mega FM radio in Gulu on Saturday, the President said getting new mediators would mean starting the peace talks afresh. He added that the move would lead to unacceptable delays as the new mediators would first need to study the problem.

On the other hand, The Kenyan government on Sunday rejected calls by Uganda’s Lord’s Resistance Army to host peace negotiations between them and the Ugandan government, the Kenyan radio said.

In a statement, Foreign Affairs Minister Raphael Tuju said Kenya does not want the talks delayed by distractions of “venue or forum shopping”.

“After consultations with the Ugandan government and the U.N. special envoy for the conflict, Kenya would not offer to host the talks,” Tuju said.

“President Museveni, therefore, strongly called on all leaders in Acholi sub-region to advise Kony and his group to go back to Juba and resume peace talks and stop playing games of trying to fail the peace process”, said a press statement from State House.

Museveni noted that “such tricks would neither help Kony and his group nor anybody working with them.”

He also warned that if Kony and his group did not want peace, the Government would also not withdraw the ICC indictments and that they would be answerable for their acts.

The President assured the people of Acholi region that total peace would prevail in their area with or without the peace talks.

(ST)