UN chief welcomes the outcome of Darfur stakeholders conference

June 4, 2011 (KHARTOUM) — UN chief Ban Ki-moon welcomed the outcome of Darfur stakeholders conference held this week in Doha where the participants endorsed a framework document as the basis for a peaceful settlement to the conflict in western Sudan.

“The Secretary-General welcomes the outcome of the All Darfur Stakeholders Conference (ADSC) as the basis for reaching a permanent ceasefire and inclusive peace settlement, and sustainable peace and stability in Darfur, ” said a statement released on Saturday.

The five day meeting gathered over 500 delegates who arrived from Darfur to discuss and adopt a document the mediation thought it might enable the parties to sign a peace agreement despite the division of rebel groups.

The Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) which is engaged in talks with the government since March 2010 said during the conference it was ready to sign a peace agreement. On the other hand, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) welcomed the Document saying it constitutes a good basis for talks with Khartoum.

Ban Ki-moon called on the government and rebel groups to sign a ceasefire and to make “the compromises necessary to reach a sustainable peace”.

He further thanked the Emir and government of the State of Qatar for the efforts provided to the joint mediation team chaired by the Burkina Faso foreign minister Djibril Bassolé who works on the file since two years ago.

Sudan’s former prime minister and leader of the opposition Umma Party Sadiq Al-Mahdi, last Friday said the government has to reestablish a regional government, calculate Darfur shares from the national wealth or power in proportion to the population of the province.

Sadiq said he boycotted the Doha conference because the government does not want to associate the political forces in the solution of the conflict. He further accused Khartoum of seeking a solution responding to its interest and not the interests of Darfur people.

Delegations from the government and LJM started talks on the pending issues and they said expecting to finalize it as soon as possible. The two parties have to agree on the post of vice-president that Darfur rebel groups demand and the security arrangements. Khartoum also plans to hold a referendum on the administrative status but the rebel refuse.

Presidential adviser in charge of Darfur file, Ghazi Salah Al-Deen said this Friday that no vice president would be allocated to the western Sudan region of Darfur. Such demand will push the other region to request the same thing, he said in a radio talk show.

Amin Hassan Omer, Sudan’s top negotiator told the stakeholders conference on 30 May that his government for the sack of peace and exceptionally can accept to appoint a vice-president from Darfur during the current presidential term.

Presidential assistant Nafie Ali Nafie ruled out the conclusion of a peace agreement with JEM and the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur. They want that Darfur issue remains unresolved to use it as a means of public action by the opposition coalition or the Zionist lobbies to change the regime, Nafie said.

(ST)