World lauds Doha agreement between Sudan and Darfur JEM
February 17, 2009 (WASHINGTON) — A number of countries today welcomed the declaration of goodwill signed between the Sudanese government and Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) paving the way for full blown negotiations.
“The Secretary-General underscores that until the parties renounce hostilities, the situation in Darfur cannot improve” the statement said.
The declaration fells short of a ceasefire agreement between the two sides which many observers say is a key to any peace talks.
The UK Foreign Office Minister Lord Malloch-Brown for Africa called on both sides to “ease the conditions facing IDP’s and facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance”
Malloch-Brown also urged the parties to move quickly to formulate a cessation of hostilities agreement. He commended the efforts made by the Qatari government and the joint African Union-United Nations Mediator Djibril Bassole.
The US State department said that the goodwill and confidence building agreement is “a tangible first step forward toward an inclusive framework for the resolution of the Darfur conflict”.
“The United States supports these talks and encourages all parties, including armed groups, civil society and political leaders, to come together to stop the violence in Darfur and join in the search for peace” the acting Deputy Department Spokesman Gordon Duguid said.
Earlier today the US ambassador at the UN Susan Rice said the agreement is a “potentially modest first step” before warning that it does not amount to a “cessation of hostilities or a ceasefire agreement”.
She also said that there should be no linkage between the Doha outcome and an imminent arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Al-Bashir.
All previous efforts to bring the Darfur warring parties have failed due to boycott of major rebel groups of JEM and SLM faction led by Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur who lives in exile in France.
UN experts estimate some 300,000 people have died and 2.5 million driven from their homes. Sudan blames the Western media for exaggerating the conflict and puts the death toll at 10,000.
(ST)