Darfur rebels urge Britain to put halt of violence at top agenda of talks with Sudan

April 27, 2008 (PARIS) — On the eve of the start of a Sudanese high level visit to Britain, the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel-wahid al-Nur launched an appeal to the British government urging it to focus it efforts on the halt of violence in Darfur before talks.

A delegation of Sudanese foreign minister, Deng Alor and presidential adviser Mustafa Osman Ismail is expected to hold talks in London on the bilateral ties and the British initiative to host Darfur peace talks.

The rebel leader, Abdel-wahid al-Nur said that Britain has to convince the Sudanese government to stop the ongoing attacks against the Darfur civilians before to propose plans to hold peace talks to end the five year-conflict in western Sudan.

He further said that during the meeting of 18 March held in Geneva, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — including Britain — agreed to work first to stop escalation of violence and attacks against civilians in Darfur; and after they will exert efforts to hold successful peace talks for a lasting peace in the troubled region.

The SLM rejected to take part in the joint efforts exercised by the UN and African Union to hold peace talks between Sudanese government and the rebel groups. The rebel group relentlessly asks for the stop of violence, the return of the displaced and refugees to their homes and the disarmament of the Khartoum backed Jajaweed militia before talks.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on April 12 he was in contact with the Sudanese government and rebel groups to host peace talks to end Darfur crisis.

However, the visiting Sudanese delegation will be the first informed of the nature of the British initiative. All the parties in the conflict and the joint mediation said they were not aware of the details of the offer.

The Sudanese presidential spokesperson, Mahjoub Fadl; welcomed the British proposal saying the Government of Sudan is willing to resume peace negotiations with the rebel movements in Darfur anywhere and at any time.

But Khartoum fears that any new mediation without the UN-AU mediation may lead to cancel the existing Darfur Peace Agreement signed with small former rebel faction led by the current senior presidential assistant, Minni Minawi, on May 5, 2006.

Nafi Ali Nafi, the Sudanese top negotiator for peace talks, had repeated the attachment of his government to the joint UN-AU mediation. He added they will not accept any proposals away from the coordination and consultation with the joint mediation or aiming to replace it.

(ST)