US sends envoy to Sudan for peace-brokering talks

WASHINGTON, Feb 10, 2004 (Xinhua) — The State Department said Tuesday that US Acting Secretary of State for African Affairs Charles Snyder is on his way to Sudan to promote peace talks between the Sudanese government and the rebels.

“Our acting assistant secretary of state for African affairs, Charles Snyder, is on his way out to Sudan now, where he will be meeting with all the parties and discussing particularly the resumption of talks that’s due to take place on the 17th (of February),” spokesman Richard Boucher said at a daily briefing.

“He’ll also, I’m sure, discuss a wide range of issues with the government,” Boucher added.

The spokesman said that Snyder and other US diplomats in the region will discuss the insurgency in Darfur, Southwestern Sudan, with the Sudanese government, and push for humanitarian cease-fire access to allow assistance to those displaced from the fighting between the government troops and the rebels.