Darfur’s Minnawi discusses political partnership with NCP
June 3, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) faction headed by Minni Minnawi held talks today to discuss the future of their partnership ahead of the imminent formation of a new government following April’s elections.
The NCP won a comfortable majority in the North of the country and its leader Omer Hassan Al-Bashir maintained his position as president, a post he held since 1989.
A delegation from SLA-Minnawi met with Amin Hassan Omer who is the head of government delegation to Doha peace talks with Darfur rebels.
Omer told reporters that the talks were intended to affirming and strengthening the political partnership between the two sides. The SLA gave its input on the negotiation strategy with Darfuri movements in Doha scheduled to resume this month after much delay.
The NCP figure further confirmed that the SLA will be part of the upcoming government on the executive and federal level which means that Minnawi will retain his post as the senior presidential assistant of Bashir.
The SLA deputy chairman Al-Rayah Mahmood, said that they will continue to hold meetings on political and security issues in Darfur particularly reenergizing the peace agreement they signed in Abuja four years ago.
The Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) signed between Khartoum and Minnawi has done little to improve the security situation in Sudan’s western region primarily due to other major rebel groups rejecting it along with IDP’s and refugees.
UN experts estimate some 300,000 people have died and 2.5 million driven from their homes. Sudan blames the Western media for exaggerating the conflict and puts the death toll at 10,000.
(ST)