Sudanese President commends Qatar, expresses support to its efforts for peace in Darfur

March 30, 2011 (DOHA) — Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al Bashir praised efforts exerted by the State of Qatar to resolve the eight year conflict in Darfur and agreed to extend the peace talks with the rebel groups sponsored by the Gulf country.

Bashir arrived to Doha twenty four hours after a decree issued in Khartoum to organize a referendum on Darfur administrative status. The rebel groups slammed the presidential decision saying it violates the framework agreements signed in Doha and asked the mediation to stop it.

“Qatar, with a great patience, endured the [burden of] Darfur negotiations. No place in the world could bear the negotiations for all this time, and be patient in the manner demonstrated by the people of Qatar,” Bashir said in a meeting with the Sudanese community in Doha on Wednesday evening.

“No matter what we say about Qatar, we will never be able to express our gratitude. All this shows to what extent Qatar and its people are keen on the stability of Sudan and how much is their love for Sudan,” he further added.

Bashir also cited the Qatari state minister for foreign affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud and thanked him for the role he plays in the peace process.

Foreign minister Ali Karti, stated from Doha that Bashir and the Emir of Qatar agreed, on the need to exert efforts to reach an inclusive peace agreement. He said the Doha process is strongly backed by all the parties.

He added that the process now has the support of a state — he did not name — which was not very enthusiast during the past period for the Doha process.

It was not clear whether they agreed to give more time for the process or to suspend the referendum announced yesterday until the end of the talks.

The talks between the government and Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) are stalled over the issue of Darfur administrative status. However the government and the rebel group agreed to adopt four undisputed chapters of the peace deal.

The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) agreed on three chapters and with the support of a team of experts provided by the mediation is negotiating with the government on the wealth sharing chapter.

The mediators are preparing for a big gathering for all the stakeholders on 18 April. They are also prepares for new rounds of talks between the government and the two rebel movements on the pending issues.

The absence of the presidential adviser entrusted with Darfur file, Ghazi Salah Al-Deen from the presidential delegation was denoted by many observers. Bashir’s delegation included Karti, minister of presidential affairs Baki Hassan Salih, and the director of the security and intelligence services.

The fate of the Doha talks seemed hampered for a time by the adoption of a new policy aiming to end the conflict by engaging tribal leaders and civil society organizations. The plan, prepared by Gahzi Salah Al-Deen, is based on the need to minimize the role of the armed groups by engaging other forces.

After efforts by the mediation to mobilize regional and international efforts to support the Doha Forum, the presidential adviser came out with the idea of a referendum on Darfur administrative status referring to a peace agreement repudiated even by those who signed it with the government.

Gahzi also was quite clear in his opposition to the negotiations with the rebel groups when he went to describe the Doha process as “market of watermelon”. The statement was perceived as rude and disrespectful by the Qatari officials who invested much of time to keep all the parties on board in order to reach a durable settlement for the conflict.

The regime change in Egypt and the probable positive outcome of the armed revolution in Libya remove regional obstacles hampering the two-year efforts of the Joint Chief Mediator Djirbil Bassole and Qatar to reach a successful conclusion of the talks between the government and rebels.

(ST)