Sudan’s chief negotiator reiterates commitment to African peace plan
October 7, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s chief negotiator reiterated his government seriousness to reach peaceful settlement to the armed conflicts and to hold the national dialogue conference, calling on the rebels to avoid tactical positions and to work seriously to “eliminate tragedies of war”.
Arman said the Sudanese government had sought to push away talks scheduled for 14 October to reach a cessation of hostilities in South Kordofan and Blue Nile, ahead of an all-parties meeting on the national dialogue issues. The two events are facilitated by the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP).
He further accused the government army of massing troops in the Two Areas in preparation of new military campaign against their fighters, saying all these moves are in line with the negative statements by president Omer al-Bashir on the peace process on 27 September.
Speaking at a reception on the occasion of Eid al-Adha organised at the premises of the National Congress Party (NCP), Ghandour reaffirmed the government commitment to participate in the talks with the rebel groups by the end of the month. However, he did not mention a date saying “it will follow the convention of the ruling party”.
Further, in an interview with Ashorooq TV, the NCP deputy leader urged Arman to devote his efforts entirely to achieve peace in the upcoming round of talks.
“In any forthcoming round of talks, we hope that Arman be faithful to a peace process that relieves the country of the tragedies of war” he said.
Ghandour stressed the NCP keenness to dialogue with the other parties, saying they reached all the political forces. He went further to say they are “resolved to continue the dialogue, despite difficulties, obstacles and attempts to discredit it”.
The presidential assistant was alluding to the refusal of opposition parties to participate in the process demanding to select a neutral personality to chair it instead of president Bashir. They also demand to implement a number of confidence building measures and to postpone the elections.
Ghandour underscored that the NCP was not forced to call for a national dialogue process. But he added that it is a strategic choice not a tactical move because “no political party can build a nation alone whatever is its size and strength”.
He further expressed hopes that the next round of talks with the rebels be the last one. Nonetheless he added that “some do not want to reach peace before to achieve their political ambitions”.
Officials in Sudan’s ruling party several times accused opposition and rebel groups of seeking to use the national dialogue process to dismantle the rule of president Bashir.
The NCP also rejects calls by all the Sudanese political forces to postpone the general election scheduled for April 2015.
Speaking about the elections, he encouraged the other parties to participate in this “democratic exercise” adding the NCP does not seek to sweep elections.
“The NCP is not looking for scoring goals through the next election, but it is looking for a draw or victory if forced to it,” he said.
He also reiterated the government’s rejection of the Paris Declaration which the opposition National Umma Party (NUP) signed with the rebel alliance of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front last August.
“Only the state owns the rights to sign agreement with the holders of arms,” he said.
(ST)