US envoy in stormy Sudanese talks, as official bangs table

By London-based newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat

NAIVASHA, Kenya, Jan 17, 2004 — The USA is making strong efforts to help push forward the Sudanese peace talks which are currently taking place in Kenya.

The US peace envoy, Senator John Danforth, has been in Naivasha for several days to exert pressure to resolve the conflict as soon as possible. [Passage omitted]

Danforth and the government delegation yesterday were caught in a stormy session filled with protests, after the US envoy put forward suggestions to solve the issue of the three [disputed] regions [Abiyei, the Nuba Mountains and southern Blue Nile], in particular the one on Abiyei.

However, the suggestions did not please the government delegation, which led one of the Sudanese government delegates to bang the table in rage, in protest against the proposals.

The government and the SPLM [Sudan People’s Liberation Movement] delegations yesterday traded accusations of hindering the peace talks.

However, during a press conference held yesterday, Senator Danforth said the two parties would overcome the obstacles by signing a final agreement.

BBC Monitoring Middle East