UK says prepared to host peace talks between Darfur parties

July 9, 2008 (KHARTOUM) – The British Foreign minister David Miliband said that his government is prepared to host peace talks in London for the warring parties in Darfur.

“We are prepared to go forward with it” he said before adding that the Sudanese government and some Darfur rebels have agreed to the idea of London as a peace venue.

But the Sudanese foreign minister Deng Alor appeared to be in contradiction with his counterpart’s statements saying that Khartoum agreed to a British initiative aimed at uniting Darfur rebels.

The initial British offer came last April in from the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

A Downing Street spokesman said: “Britain is willing to invite all parties to London for talks to see if there is a way to make some progress”.

Miliband met with the Sudanese president Omar Hassan Al-Bashir and told reporters that Britain ‘feels a responsibility towards Sudan and its stability”.

He also said that he discussed the North-South peace agreement, Darfur crisis and the humanitarian situation there and the relations with neighboring Chad.

Miliband’s Sudanese counterpart Deng Alor said that a meeting will be held next week in Senegal to try and mend fences with Chad.

The British official also said that the implementation of Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) “is crucial for stabilizing the situation in Sudan”.

He also hailed the passage of the elections law this week and discussed with Sudanese officials the preparations for the presidential and parliamentary elections next year.

(ST)