Darfur rebel factions in Sirte want talks’ postponement

October 27, 2007 (SIRTE) — Darfur rebels attending U.N.-African Union mediated peace talks in Sirtes Libya said they want postponement of the talks in order to allow them to have common ground to negotiate with Khartoum.

In an interview with Radio France Internationale in Sirte, the leader of Justice and Equality Movement – Collective Leadership (JEM-CL) Bahar Idriss Abu Garda and the General Coordinator of National Movement For Reform And Development (MNRD), Abdelmajid Dosa said they will request the suspension of the peace talks after the opening session.

Abu Garda expressed some reservations saying there are some groups invited while they have no any existence on the ground also he pointed out the need to have SPLM representatives in the government delegation and this requires the settlement of the current crisis between the National Congress Party and the SPLM.

While Dosa pointed out the need to bring the other groups to the talks. He also said that negotiations with the government should be with one rebel delegation and to reach this point they need minimum to one month of delay.

(ST)