Rebels have to adopt common position before peace talks-mediator

March 27, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — AU envoy for Darfur said today it is important for the rebel groups opposed to Darfur peace deal to adopt a common position before the starting of peace talks with the Sudanese government.

In a press conference held Tuesday in Khartoum by the UN and the AU envoys for Darfur, Salim Ahmed Salim told the reporters that they will continue to contact rebel groups to convince them to have a common position before negotiations with Khartoum.

“You can not deal with so many groups and with everybody having his own agenda. So it is important to have that, both in terms of the peace process and in terms also of the actual negotiations.” Salim explained.

He further said they hope to close the consultation process in the coming weeks. But before, they will contact rebel groups out side the Sudan. Jan Eliasson will visit Chad to meet leader of the Justice and Equality Movement and leaders of other groups.

During the press conference, the two envoys repeated that the main objective of this visit was to broaden the circle of consultations. So, they met the leaders of Darfur Arab tribes, and the leaders of the Sudanese opposition forces in Khartoum.

They met Hassan Turabi of the Popular Congress Party, Sadiq al-Mahdi of Umma Party and leader of the Communist Party Ibrahim Nugud. Also they had “extensive discussions with representatives of the civil society.”

Jan Eliasson and Salim Ahmed Salim are in charge of the political solution of Darfur crisis. According to the 16 November 2006 agreement reached in Addis Ababa, the peace mediation has only to be under UN and AU leadership.

(ST)