Sudan rules out negotiations on pending issues with Darfur group

January 17, 2011 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese government delegation for the Doha peace process said today refusing to return to the negotiating table to discuss pending issues with the rebel Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM).

Amin Hassan Omer, the head of the Sudanese government negotiating team is in Doha since several days to discuss with the mediators an acceptable solution allowing to overcome the deadlock over power sharing file.

The mediation handed to the two parties on 30 December a number of proposals aiming to end the impasse in the talks which started last March.
According to the propositions a regional authority is to be established in Darfur and a vice-president is to be named from the region.

Sudanese government delegation rejected the package of proposal on the same day as they decided to return to Khartoum and no longer remain in Doha. The LJM rebels endorsed the compromise proposed by the mediation and said ready to sign a peace agreement with the government.

However Omer Adam Rahama, the spokesperson of the government delegation today told the semi-official SMC that Amin is there for separate talks with the mediators. He further ruled out any return to the negotiating table over the outstanding issues.

Omer said his government set red lines for the status of one region, and some disputed issues. He further said that the appointment of a Vice-President is an exclusive prerogative of the President of the Republic. It does not depend on geographical criteria or states authorities to determine their representatives at the presidency, he added.

Sudanese government said recently it adheres to Abjua peace agreement and refuses to concede over the status of the region as Darfurians can decide on a referendum the future of Darfur.

Darfur rebel groups who refused to sign Abuja deal in 2006 said sticking to their demand to establish one regional authority in Darfur creating a third level of power between the central authority and the states like the case of southern Sudan government which administrates the 10 states of southern Sudan.

The mediators opted for the creation of a regional body to coordinate between the three states of Darfur and said the head of the regional authority who will be named vice-president will link the region with the central government.

Rejecting the position of the rebel groups and the compromise proposed by the mediation, Sudanese officials seek to make progress on the ground with the implementation of a “new strategy” seeking to ensure the return of IDPs and promote development in the region.

But the rebel groups said opposed to this plan supported by the African Union Panel headed by Thabo Mbeki and the hybrid peacekeeping operation in Darfur (UNAMID).

The US special envoy for Sudan said the international community must pay more attention to end the eight year conflict in Darfur.

(ST)