New Darfur rebel group urges delay of Libya peace talks to ensure unity

New Darfur rebel group urges delay of Libya peace talks to ensure unity
181 words
5 October 2007
06:41 pm GMT
BBC Monitoring Middle East
English
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A newly formed Darfur rebel movement, which calls itself Darfur Independence Front/Darfur Independence Army [DIF/DIA], today issued a press release putting preconditions for the forthcoming talks between the Darfur holdout groups and the government [in Libya].
The DIF/DIA’s preconditions for the Tripoli talks scheduled for 27 October call for:

“Postponement of the talks for six months so that the movements may reach a unified and negotiated stance with a unified delegation”.
It also demands: “The entry [into Darfur] of UN troops to protect civilians and [holding of] dialogue on the right to self-determination as the only guarantee for any agreement”.

The press release, which had been issued by the chairman of the DIF/DIA leadership steering committee, Cdr Iddris Ibrahim Iddris, further urges the movements [Darfur holdout groups] to opt for one of the two choices before them: “The movements have to choose between the unification and the UN guardianship over the region”.