French foreign minister and Darfur mediator discus peace with SLM’s Nur

September 20, 2010 (PARIS) – French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner and the Joint Chief Mediator Djibril Bassole asked last week the leader of Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) to join the process last week.

Abdel Wahid Al-Nur, who is based in Paris, on July 8, met with the Qatari state minister for foreign affairs showing his interest for the Qatar’s hosted peace process. Since he pledged to take part in the talks but asked the mediation to press Khartoum on the issues related to security situation in Darfur.

The rebel leader says before to join the Doha peace process, the government should patch up the consequences of the conflict, end violence against civilians through the disarmament of militias and return of displaced populations to their homeland.

Al-Nur told Sudan Tribune that Kouchner and Bassole demanded him to take part in the negotiations taking place in Doha. He added that Bassole exposed his plan to reach a comprehensive peace agreement.

The rebel leader said peace in Darfur is a strategic objective for his movement stressing that Khartoum policy in Darfur based on violence and attacks against civilians particularly IDPs represents a big hindrance.

He further added he asked both of them to help him and to convince Khartoum to establish the necessary conditions to protect civilians there.

Nur said they agreed to pursue discussions on this issue.

Following July meeting with Qatari minister, Kouchner said “This new position of chief of the SLM is the culmination of months of talks held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with Abdel Wahid Al-Nur.

Al-Nur appealed on the UNCEF and NGOs working in the children protection to and education to provide the necessary means to ensure better future of kids and to provide them education.

CPA

The southern Sudanese will decide on 9 January whether they want to remain in the current Sudan or they want to establish a new state. Several democratic forces supported the move.

The option of total war is the only thing available to the Sudanese people in the case of non-implementation of the full provisions of the 2005 agreement.

Al Nur said if the agreement is not implemented on time, the international community would be considered accomplice in this. He added that Khartoum has no credibility, thus if the referendum is delayed this will exasperate people in Southern Sudan but also in Darfur and open the door for chaos in the whole country.

“This will deprive Darfurian of hope and deny southerners their right,” he said

(ST)