Darfur mediators urge Sudanese government to remain committed to the peace process

January 23, 2011 (CAIRO) – Darfur peace mediators said today that Doha venue represents the best opportunity to end Darfur conflict and urged all the government to remain committed to the process.

Qatari state minister for foreign affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud and the Joint Chief Meditor Djibril Bassole toured Addis Ababa, New York and Cairo to get the support of the organizations they represent: the African Union, United Nations and Arab League.

During a meeting held today in Cairo the Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Moussa reiterated his full support to the Doha peace process stressing that these talks are initiated jointly by the Arab League and the African Union to end Darfur conflict.

“With the strong support of AU, AL, UN Secretary General as well as the UN Security Council, the Mediation will continue to work for peace and stability in Darfur; with the Sudanese government, armed movements, civil society, displaced persons and political forces,” said Bassole in a press conference held in Cairo on Sunday.

“Any initiative excluding one of the warring parties will only complicate the task of the Mediation, prolong the conflict and human suffering in Darfur,” he further said.

The chief mediator was alluding to a strategy the government wants to implement – without the rebel groups — jointly another process led by the former South African President.

The government delegation returned to Khartoum at the end of the year saying it would keep consultations with the mediators on a peace agreement with the rebel LJM and a truce under discussion with the rebel JEM.
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“We hope that the Government of Sudan remains fully committed and focused in the Doha talks,” he said.

Bassole said all the conditions are now in place to achieve a comprehensive and inclusive peace from Doha stressing that two rebel groups are present in Doha and the third led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur is preparing to join the process.

He also pointed out that the conduct of the referendum process in South creates a peaceful environment conducive to resolving the Darfur crisis.

The mediators got the support of Jean Ping, Ban Ki-Moon besides Amr Mousa of the Arab League. US Scott Gration urged recently more international support to the process in Doha.

Observers say the government wanted to use the referendum and the post referendum period to impose a solution in Darfur that might lead to more troubles in the restive region and complicate the relations with a new independent state in the South.

Minister Al-Mahmoud briefed the press on the consultations done by the mediation with the civil society and IDPs in Doha and during a tour they made in Darfur in November December 2010. He stressed that all the Darfurian forces support the process and appreciated the efforts done by the Mediation to end the conflict.

Speaking about the status of the region he said the mediation has chosen to satisfy partially the rebels by proposing a regional authority and maintaining at the same time the three states as the government wants.

The Qatari official said two meetings are to be held in Doha one for the AU, AL and UN and another for the civil society and IDPs before the signing of the final peace agreement.

The Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit who met with the mediators reaffirmed the support of his country to the process and said that Egypt will resume its efforts within the framework of the Arab-African committee to support Qatari-sponsored talks.

(ST)