Sudan ready for talks although president may not be present

KHARTOUM, Aug 21, 2004 (dpa) — Sudanese authorities said Saturday expressed doubts whether President Omer Hassan al-Bashir would participate in a summit on Darfur expected to coincide with talks scheduled for Monday in the Nigerian capital of Abuja.

A summit comprising heads of state of Sudan, Uganda, Libya, Chad and Mali and the president of host country Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, is due to be held in Abuja, simultaneously with talks between the Sudanese government and two Darfur rebel movements.

A senior figure at Sudans leading party, told reporters, that they cannot confirm the participation of al-Bashir in the Abuja talks, but declined to give details.

The Sudanese government however affirmed its participation in the Abuja peace talks, saying a high powered representative will leave Sudan on Sunday for talks with rebels in Nigeria, in order it is believed to broker a solution to 18-month civil war that has killed 50,000 and displaced over a million.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese foreign minister, Mustafa Osman Ismael admitted a lack of security around camps of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the troubled region of Darfur.

Under the terms of the agreement reached, both Sudan and International Organization for Migration (IOM) are to assist in the voluntary return of displaced persons in accordance with the Darfur Plan of Action signed by on August 5 in Khartoum.