Darfur JEM is willing to negotiate with Sudan – AU envoy

July 10, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — The African Union envoy to Darfur, Salim Ahmed Salim said here today that different holdout rebel groups expressed readiness to participate in the forthcoming peace talks with the government to end the four year conflict in the region.

Salim told the minister that the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) was ready to negotiate with the government, saying that the IDPs and civil society organizations expressed their willingness to return back to their homes and resume their normal life if security is restored and basic services are provided.

Foreign Ministry’s Spokesman Ambassador Ali al-Sadiq said the two sides, the government and the AU, agreed that the venue of the negotiations between the government and Darfur rebels, holding out of Abuja Agreement, will not be a problem as they will agree to meet in any where in Africa.

Salim met yesterday with the Sudanese Foreign Minister Lam Akol and the presidential advisor Mustafa Osman Ismail.

He told the press he informed the Sudanese officials of the outcome of his visit to Darfur and the meeting he held with Chairman Khalil Ibrahim, civil society organizations and representatives from the IDPs.

Further he discussed with the foreign minister Dr Lam Akol the arrangements being made to begin a political process and negotiations between the government and Darfur rebels opposed to Abuja Agreement.

Salim held a meeting with the leader of the rebel JEM Khalil Ibrahim in the area of Kariarii, near the Chadian border on July 8. They discussed the ongoing preparation for the peace talks expected to start by the end of August.

Consultations with JEM and the other parties to the conflict constitutes the second phase of the Roadmap and comes before the Tripoli meeting, scheduled to take place on 15-16 July, to assess the progress made over the past months towards the commencement of the peace talks on the Darfur conflict.

(ST)