Darfur peace talks to continue for another week

July 17, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – Following an assessment of the ongoing talks to end Darfur conflict, the mediation and the negotiating teams today decided to continue the talks for a week in order to achieve tangible progress in the process.

The Sudanese government and the rebel Liberation and Justice Movement have formed six committees to negotiate different issues they defined in a framework agreement.

These committees cover: Power Sharing and the Administrative Status of Darfur; Wealth Sharing, including Land Rights; Compensation and the Return of IDPs and Refugees; Security Arrangements; Justice and Reconciliation; and the Overall Agreement and the Resolution of Disputes.

In an assessment meeting held on Saturday evening in Doha “The Mediation reviewed the work of these committees, the points of agreement as well as of disagreement and considered how to find compromises to the latter,” read a statement put out by the Qatari state minister for foreign affairs and the Joint Chief Mediator.

The mediator, the host country and the parties agreed to continue negotiations during the week and then the mediation will “announce a timetable of negotiations for the following period”.

Saturday’s meeting had been expected to suspend the activities of the different committees and to resume talks after some weeks. However, the decision meant to show the determination of the parties to conclude some if not all the issues.

Tadjadine Bechir Niam LJM secretary for negotiations affairs told Sudan Tribune from Doha that Wealth Sharing Committee has achieved considerable progress and a protocol on this issue could be finalized.

He also said the working committees will intensify their meetings to develop the other dossiers.

From its part, the mediation said it would “also conduct in-depth consultations about security, socioeconomic development and reconciliation to strengthen the process and increase its likelihood of success”.

Further the Mediation will draft a “consolidated compromise document”, followed by consultations with the parties and “regional and international partners to develop a joint vision for peace that is acceptable to all of the people of Darfur”.
The mediation hailed the “positive engagement” of the IDPs and refugees as well as the civil society and called on the Sudanese government and other rebel groups to cease hostilities.

Minister Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud and Mr. Djibril Bassole said, in the statement, they will continue to encourage the leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement Abdel Wahid Al Nur to join the talks and exert efforts to convince Khalil Ibrahim leader of the Justice and Equality Movement to end the suspension of JEM participation in the Doha talks.

(ST)