Sudan urges neighboring countries not to receive JEM rebel chief

May 20, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government said it has sent letters to all the neighboring countries urging them not to receive the leader of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) Khalil Ibrahim which is one of the major rebel groups in Darfur.

Yesterday the Chadian government which has over the years provided subtle political and military cover to JEM denied entry to Ibrahim, a step hailed by Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir in a phone call with his Chadian counterpart Idriss Deby.

Bashir has strongly protested this month to a visiting Egyptian delegation over Ibrahim’s presence in Cairo where he was received by senior officials there.

JEM leader ended up in Libya after Chad denied him entry on his way from Egypt.

The foreign affairs ministry spokesperson, Muawiya Osman Khalid, said in a statement to Sudan official news agency (SUNA) that the government conveys the same message to all world countries, on the grounds that the existence of JEM leader on their territories “will not to contribute to termination of the war in Darfur”.

Khalid expressed Sudan’s appreciation to Libyan concern with the Sudanese affairs and its efforts to push ahead the peace process in Darfur.

He further said that Sudan “is waiting for a positive stride from Libya to help realizing peace in Darfur by putting pressure on Khalil Ibrahim to leave directly for Doha and resume the negotiation toward completing the peace process in the region”.

The Sudanese official stressed that the government will not negotiate with rebel leader “at any place in the world except Doha”.

JEM this month said t was suspending peace talks with the government, accusing it of breaking a ceasefire and failing to honor an initial peace deal signed Doha last February.

Peace talks that started with JEM in February stalled when JEM objected to Khartoum’s decision to start separate discussions with Liberation and Justice Movement rebels.

Washington accuses Khartoum of committing genocide during the seven-year conflict which has killed 300,000 people according to one U.N. estimate. Khartoum says 10,000 have died.

(ST)