Sudanese government team returns to Doha for talks on Darfur peace deal
February 13, 2011 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese government delegation will fly Monday to Doha for discussions with the mediation and the rebel Liberation and Justice Movement on the pending issues peace agreement negotiated last year.
After a meeting with the Qatari state minister for foreign affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud, President Omer Hassan Al-Bashir agreed this week upon the request of the mediation to allow his delegation to return to the official venue of the peace talks after its withdrawal last December.
Presidential Adviser Ghazi Salah Al-Deen who is in charge of Darfur dossier said the small delegation will remain in Doha until the end of February. He also underscored that the team will not hold new rounds of talks.
“The purpose of the return to Doha is to agree on a formula to finalize the peace document that the mediation is preparation,” said the spokesperson of the delegation Omer Adam Rahama.
He further denied that they will resume talks saying “the negotiations ended and the parties discussed all the issues except some outstanding issues the parties were submitted to the mediation”.
The steering committee formed from the mediation and the heads of the two stakeholders failed to agree on the status of Darfur region and the appointed of a vice-president of the republic from Darfur.
The mediation presented a compromise on these issues giving Darfur a regional authority and a vice-president. But Khartoum rejected the proposals saying it is inconsistent with the constitution.
The government said wants to close the file of Darfur before July where the South will be declared officially an independent state after referendum on self determination.
Officials in Khartoum and Darfur states believe the conflict can be resolved through direct internal dialogue between Darfur forces from tribal leaders, civil society and elected organs from the ruling NCP.
(ST)