Sudan renews confidence in Qatari efforts to end Darfur conflict

February 3, 2010 (DOHA) — President Omer Al-Bashir reiterated his support to the Qatari efforts to end the seven year conflict in Darfur, a Sudanese official said following a brief visit he paid to Doha today.

Bashir was in the Qatari capital for talks with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani on the peace process to end the armed conflict in Darfur.

Since September 2008, Qatar has been chosen as venue for the peace talks in Darfur after Libya’s failure in 2007 to bring rebels to talks it had hosted. But, the joint efforts of Qatar and the AU-UN mediator seem bothered by continuous interferences from different countries and organizations.

Sudan, through Bashir’s visit has reaffirmed its support and confidence in the Qatari initiative to resolve the problem in Darfur and stressed its continuation with the Qatari venue, said Amin Hassan Omer, government top negotiator.

Omer also said Sudan has pledged to make the needed efforts in order to ensure its success, adding the talks tackled ways to enhance and accelerate the peace process.

Sudan and the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) signed a goodwill agreement one year ago in February 2009. However as the government did not implement the agreement the rebel JEM suspended its participation in the process.

Since the mediation convinced JEM to resume the peace talks with Khartoum with the participation of the other rebel groups reunited after efforts by the Libyan and American facilitators. But JEM rejects their participations asking these groups to merge within the movement.

Also, the efforts of the mediation seem obstructed by criticisms made by the US envoy Scott Gration who has bad relations with the main rebel groups and an initiative launched by the former South African President Thabo Mbeki. In addition recently the new UNAMID head said he wants “to make peace in Darfur” because there is no peace to keep there.

(ST)