Khartoum says participation in pre-dialogue meeting contingent upon inviting 7+7
March 25, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The national dialogue spokesperson on Wednesday blamed the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) for excluding the government parties from participating in the pre-dialogue meeting.
The preparatory meeting will begin on 29 March and will be based on the roadmap for the national dialogue approved by the general assembly of political parties in Khartoum on 9 August 2014, the 5 September Addis Ababa agreement on the national dialogue and constitutional process; and the communiqué of the 456th meeting of the AUPSC on 12 September 2014.
The minister of information Ahmed Balal Osman who is from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) said that the Sudanese government will not participate in the pre-dialogue meeting and demanded that AU mediation extend an invitation to the national dialogue coordination committee known as (7+7) .
Osman disclosed the AUHIP only invited the National Congress Party (NCP) and ignored the other forces.
“This is unacceptable, and it prevents the participation of the government (in the meeting), as the invitation was only extended to one party,” he said.
Initially the 7+7 committee was formed from the NCP and allied political forces including the DUP, former Darfur rebels from one side and the opposition National Umma Party (NUP), Popular Congress Party (PCP) Reform Now Movement (RNM) and Just Peace Forum (JPF).
However, three opposition forces – NUP, RNM and JPF – suspended their participation in the national dialogue mechanism to protest the against the refusal of the ruling party to implement a number of measures related to the creation of a conducive environment for the internal process.
Speaking to a talk show on Ashorooq TV on Wednesday evening, Osman said they were surprised that Mbeki only invited the NCP and the PCP.
He said the government has not yet designated its delegates for the meeting “but as mechanism we agreed that the National Congress Party writes to Mbeki saying that the invitation should be directed to the 7+7 mechanism and then we do not mind to go (to the meeting)”
He pointed out that the 7 +7 mechanism already informed Mbeki of its willingness to meet with the armed movements in a procedural meeting, to discuss on how the dialogue be managed and not be transferred abroad . In addition to prepare for the dialogue by adopting a roadmap and endorsing the Addis Ababa agreement of 5 September.
On Tuesday , the Popular Congress Party of Hassan al-Turabi said they will not participate in the preparatory meeting, voicing their opposition to any external involvement in the resolution of Sudan’s internal crises.
(ST)
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