US envoy backs Sudanese efforts to settle Darfur conflict

September 21, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — The US top diplomat in Khartoum reiterated today his support to all the local, regional and international initiatives aiming to end Darfur conflict stressing that ending the suffering of the Darfuris remains the most important issue.

U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, Alberto Fernandez, met Sudan with, the Secretary of political contacts in the National Congress Party Mohamed Manduor Al-Mahdi who is also in charge of Darfur file. The meeting discussed the Sudan People’s Initiative on Darfur.

NCP member and former South Darfur governor, Atta Al Mannan, who also attended the meeting, told the press that Fernandez had been briefed on the initiative and he backed this internal effort as it can achieve a major breakthrough to overcome the current deadlock in peace Darfur process.

The Sudan People’s Initiative means to gather representatives from all the national political forces, the civil society and different traditional and political forces in Darfur including the rebel groups opposed to Abuja peace agreement.

The joint committee between the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan people’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) agreed to entrust the president of the Republic to head the Sudan People’s Initiative, in a meeting held last Thursday August 14.

Fernandez in remarks to the press following the meeting pointed out his country’s interest in achieving significant progress and concrete improvement in Darfur, the official SUNA reported.

The American diplomat, who is some times invited during the visits of Sudanese officials to Darfur, accompanied the Vice-President Ali Osman Taha to attend yesterday his meeting with Minni Minawi the former rebel leader who protests the poor implementation of Abuja peace deal.

Atta Al-Mannan said they agreed with the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires that the initiative includes urgent solutions for problems that could not await the outcome of political talks like the IDPs situation and the development issues.

The national conference on Darfur should tackle, among others, the humanitarian aspect of the crisis including the issue of security restoration, repatriation of the displaced and refugees to their villages after receiving their due compensations.

The Sudanese president Omer Al-Bashir is expected to announce by the end of Ramadan, within ten days the details of the initiative and ways to combine it with the Qatari mediation.

(ST)