AU chairperson welcomes framework document for peace in Darfur

June 13, 2011 (ADDIS ABAB) — The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Jean Ping, on Monday welcomed the Draft Doha Document for peace in Darfur, adopted recently by the stakeholders conference.

Ping received the document during a meeting in his office at the AU headquarters with the Darfur mediation team led by Burkina Faso foreign minister and Joint Chief Mediator Djibril Bassole and Qatari state minister for foreign affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud.

At the end of a five-day meeting in Doha from 27 to 31 May over 500 delegates endorsed the six chapter document as the basis for achieving a comprehensive peace in Darfur. The participants also urged to conclude an inclusive and comprehensive peace in Darfur.

“The Chairperson welcomed the document, as representing the basis for peace in Darfur,” said a statement released by the AU chief spokesperson Noureddine Mezni. Ping also hailed the commitment of the three parties participating in the Doha process, Government of Sudan, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), and Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM).

He urged the other rebel groups to join the process in order to reach a comprehensive peace in Darfur. Ping further called on all the parties to end hostilities without delay and sign a ceasefire and make the necessary compromises to end the eight year conflict.

The LJM group yesterday said the government refused, after discussions held last week, to allow them to propose a candidate for the post of vice-president that it agreed to appoint from Darfur. Khartoum also rejected their demand to delay the referendum for one year.

On the other hand, JEM said the Sudanese government told them it would only negotiate with them on the security arrangements and their participation in the Sudanese government and Darfur states.

The AU chairperson praised the role played by the Emir of Qatar to facilitate the peace process “and the determination he has shown to assist the people of Darfur in achieving sustainable peace and development in the near future”.
Al-Mahmoud and Bassole will travel from Addis Ababa to Cairo and New York to present the Draft Doha Document for peace in Darfur to the Secretary General of the Arab League, and the Secretary General of the United Nations.

(ST)