Kadhafi invited to Darfur peace talks
TRIPOLI, Aug 19 (AFP) — Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi was invited to attend forthcoming negotiations in the Nigerian capital Abuja on a peace settlement for the strife-torn western Sudanese province of Darfur, the official Libyan press agency Jana said.
The Sudan government is under pressure to meet a UN deadline to ensure the safety of civilians in Darfur, and was reported this week to be seeking help from quarters as far apart as Libya and Nigeria.
As the August 29 deadline loomed, African Union-sponsored peace talks between the Sudanese government and the Darfur rebels were due to begin in the Nigerian capital Abuja next Monday and Sudan President Omar Hassan al-Beshir has asked Kadhafi to intervene personally in the crisis.
The invitation to Kadhafi came from Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, Jana said.
Two rebel movements fighting government troops and Arab militias confirmed Wednesday they would attend the latest round of talks.