Africans, Arabs and Islamic conference call for pressure on Darfur rebels

May 18, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – African Union, Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference urged today the international community to put pressures on Darfur rebel groups in order to negotiate with the Sudanese government a political solution for the six years conflict.

AU Commission Chairperson, Mr. Jean Ping; Arab League Secretary-General, Mr. Amr Moussa; and OIC Secretary-General, Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu;held talks with the Sudanese president and visited Darfur where they met UNAMID officials and visited displaced camps.

The three chiefs of the regional organizations were in a two day visit to Khartoum in response to the invitation of the Sudanese government, and in line with their commitment to coordinate efforts to end Darfur crisis.

During meetings held yesterday with the Sudanese President and other officials Ping, Moussa and Ihsanoglu exchanged view on the political development, the humanitarian and security situations in Darfur. They also discussed the impact of the International Criminal Court (ICC) decision against President Omer Al-Bashir on peace agreements and stability in the Sudan in general and the Darfur in particular.

In a statement issued at the end of the visit, the three top officials said they were briefed on the latest round of Doha peace process between Sudanese government and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

They renewed their call for the rebel movements to join the peace process, also called the international community to exert the necessary pressure on the parties refusing to join the Darfur peace talks in the framework of Arab-African initiative, sponsored by the State of Qatar.

Under international pressure, Sudan government and JEM met last week to review the implementation of goodwill agreement they had signed last February. But JEM refused to sign a ceasefire agreement requesting the release of its members detained in Khartoum.

Also, the Sudan Liberation Movement led by the Paris based Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur refuses to negotiate with Khartoum asking to disarm militia, return of displaced to their homeland before talks.

The statement pointed out to the efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in the region and he concerted efforts with the UN and the NGOS.

Also the OIC Secretary-General, Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, announced the construction of 120 villages costing 485 million USD funded by the state members of his organization. He also said the organization will hold a special meeting dedicated to support Darfur development.

With regard to the ICC arrest warrant for President Al-Bashir, they visiting heads of regional organizations reiterated their position asking for the suspension of the ICC jurisdiction by the UN Security Council.

ICC decision against Bashir “undermines efforts to solve the problem of Darfur and jeopardize the peace in the Sudan and in the whole region as well as sending negative signals with regard to the Darfur peace negotiation.”

The statement further said the three parties have agreed to coordinate and to combine efforts and intensify contact with other intentional and regional organizations to realize that objective.

Finally, they called on the leaders of both Sudan and Chad to respect the sovereignty of their countries, good-neighborly relations, common interests, and commitment to the implementation of the agreements concluded between them and the latest cessation of hostilities agreement signed in Doha on the third of May.

(ST)