Sudan ridicules Chad’s denial of harboring Darfur rebels
June 30, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan has described statements by Chadian foreign minister about the absence of Darfur rebel in Chad as false and belied by the facts.
The Chadian foreign minister Moussa Faki Mohamed had stated that Justice and Equality Movement rebels do not have any presence in Chad, adding they only come to the capital to meet international officials who request to allow their presence there.
Ali Sadiq the spokesperson of the Sudanese foreign ministry told reporters that Chad knew exactly JEM rebels have a heavy presence in several regions outside of N’Djamena, and in particular in the border areas, saying that “the denial of this fact does not mean it does not exist”
“We hope that Chad is working to get rid of the opposition to create a propitious atmosphere for dialogue with the Sudan and the settlement of outstanding differences and tensions,” he said.
The issue of the support by the two neighboring states to the rebel groups is seen by the international community as one of the factors that complicating efforts to reach a settlement of the six-year conflict in Darfur.
Yesterday the U.S. envoy to Sudan Scott Gration met with the Chadian President Idriss Deby to tackle ways to end Darfur issue and to ease the tension between the two countries.
During the meeting the President Deby told Gration that his country is the first to be affected by the conflict in the western Sudanese province.
He also pledged to provide any assistance to reach a quick resolution of the conflict, but he dismissed any influence on Darfur rebels.
Sudan and Chad signed several reconciliation and normalization pacts, the latest was signed on May 3, in the Qatari capital Doha. However the two countries failed to implement it and continue to accuse each other.
(ST)