UN’s Annan urges Sudanese parties to reach a complete agreement

UNITED NATIONS, June 05, 2004 (UN News Centre) — As peace talks aimed at ending over two decades of war in Sudan enter a critical phase, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today urged the parties to reach a comprehensive settlement.

The Secretary-General issued his call in a message to a ceremony in Nairobi marking the formal launch of the final phase of the negotiations. He also pointed out that even as important progress has been made, “the crisis in Darfur continues to cause appalling suffering that demands a concerted international response.

So far, the parties have initialed protocols on power-sharing and the three conflict areas. Agreements have also been reached on security arrangements and wealth sharing.

A comprehensive accord, however, still requires cease-fire arrangements, international guarantees and other modes of implementation.

Mr. Annan pledged the UN’s full support for the talks, underscoring the importance of ending the conflict that has ravaged Sudan for all but eleven of the 48 years since it gained independence.

“Generations of Sudanese men, women and children have known nothing but the destruction, displacement and death inflicted by perennial war,” he said, adding that the strife has spread to other States in the region.

The UN Security Council is preparing to reaffirm its support for the Sudan peace process, according to the Secretary-General, who said he would be sending an advance team to support the negotiations.