Sudan demands neutrality from U.S., mediators in peace talks

KHARTOUM, April 19, 2004 (dpa) — The Sudanese government demanded on Monday that the United States along with other mediators in the peace talks to resolve the conflict between south and north Sudan must show neutrality.

In a statement to reporters, Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Mustafa Osman Ismael also called on the U.S. government to stop its threat to enact its “Sudan Peace Act” which he said aimed at paralyzing the role of Sudan’s government in the future.

The Act, introduced by the U.S. Congress, proposes an arms embargo on Sudan, assistance to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) in its war against the government and a call to Khartoum to pay an annual amount of 300 million dollars to the SPLA.

Ismael described the U.S. Act as “the worst ever”, and held it responsible for hindering negotiations, as it encourages the non- government side to stick to an uncompromising position.

Ismael also denied accusations that the government was hindering the negotiations in the Kenya town of Naivasha between the government and the SPLA.

He argued that “if the government is not serious about peace, it would not have acknowledged the right to self-determination to southerners in the Machakos negotiations, nor would it accept negotiations on the three disputed regions or the status of the national capital or kept the first Vice-President for more than two months in Naivasha”.

On the Darfur conflict, Ismael confirmed that the next round of negotiations with Darfur insurgents will start Tuesday April 20.

He unveiled contacts between the European Union and the African Union on the subject of human rights in Sudan, and said that the results of these contacts will be announced in the coming days.