Sudanese president, Qatari minister discuss Darfur process
March 16, 2011 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir today discussed Darfur peace process with the Qatari state minister for foreign affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud who is also mediating the talks with the Joint chief Mediator Djibril Bassole.
The mediation is struggling to narrow the gaps between the Sudanese parties on the issue of power sharing particularly the issue of the administrative status of Darfur. However, the latest initiative undertaken by the presidential adviser entrusted with the file, Gahzi Salah Al-Deen — to call on Darfurians to arbitrate on the issue — infuriated the two rebel groups participating in the process.
The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Liberation and Equality Movement (LJM) condemned the organization of a referendum on Darfur status and accused the government of violating the framework agreements signed last years. The rebels also asked the mediation to clarify the situation with Khartoum.
Some Khartoum based newspapers said the rebels decided to pull out of the talks, but the head of LJM negotiating team dismissed this information saying they just asked to transport some members of their big delegation to Darfur.
Speaking to the press following his meeting with the Sudanese president Omer Al-Bashir, Al-Mahmoud reaffirmed that JEM and LJM delegations are committed to the Doha forum and their delegations are still there.
“You heard the denial of withdrawal from the (rebel) movements, and none of them spoke with us about it. All of them are there besides the government delegation and we hope to finalize this issue at the earliest opportunity,” Al-Mahmoud said.
He also expressed the hope to proceed according to the timetable approved by the mediation saying they are currently studying the responses received from the Sudanese parties.
On 22 February, the mediation asked the Sudanese parties to adopt six chapters of the peace agreement. But after failing to get their agreement on two chapters, the mediators on 11 March proposed to endorse four chapters. Also they said a timetable would be drawn out to discuss the pending issues including the administrative status.
The short visit by the Qatari minister to Khartoum comes two days after a meeting with the presidential adviser Ghazi Salah Al-Deen in Doha.
The Sudanese foreign ministry last week informed ambassadors in Khartoum from the UN Security Council five permanent members, African Union and Arab league about its intention to hold a referendum on the administrative status of Darfur region.
Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Rahma Mohamed Osman said foreign observers are welcome to monitor the vote which he pledged would be free and fair. He also said it would be held before May as stipulated in Abuja peace agreement.
The rebel groups accused the Sudanese government of sabotaging the process. They say Ghazi refuses to discuss on their demands and continues to pose ultimatums and deadlines aiming to destroy efforts exerted by the mediation to restore confidences between the negotiating parties.
(ST)