Sudan, SPLM-N kick off second informal meeting in Germany
January 22, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Informal talks between the Sudanese government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N) have started in the German capital, Berlin on Friday.
The meeting which is organized by the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) and the German government is the second of its kind after a first meeting in Addis Ababa from 16 to 18 December.
After the failure of 10 rounds of talks, the mediators decided to organize informal discussions between the warring parties in Blue Nile and South Kordofan to tackle openly their positions on the outstanding issues and to build common ground before to resume the official negotiations.
During the opening session, Presidential Assistant Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid and SPLM-N Secretary General Yasir Arman who head the two small negotiating teams said they come with an open mind, and strongly determined to pave the way for a peace accord.
The official news agency said , Hamid expressed the government’s willingness and determination to move forward to reach a peaceful settlement and to stop the war in the two areas.
From his side, Arman also confirmed the SPLM-N’s desire to work with an open heart to reach understandings to stop the war and to resolve differences in a peaceful manner.
During the 10th round of talks last November 2015, the two parties failed to reach an agreement on the humanitarian access to the civilians in the war affected areas and to seal a cessation of hostilities deal.
The parties further diverge on who can take part in a national dialogue preparatory meeting outside the country, as the government refuses the participation of the political opposition forces inside the country.
The representatives of the host country, Germany, wished fruitful results for the meeting and reiterated their readiness to support Sudan’s peace process in collaboration with the African Union and the international community.
While the AUHIP delegate said they look forward to see the two parties reach understandings toward peaceful and sustainable settlement for the four-year conflict in the two areas.
The parties are expected to issue a joint statement at the end of the meeting on Sunday evening.
Last December, the two delegations said the meeting was fruitful, stressing it provided an opportunity for the parties to speak frankly with each other and to better understand positions.
The AUHIP and the German government are signatory of a strategic partnership agreement providing that the latter facilitates the ongoing efforts to end war and achieve democratic transition in Sudan.
(ST)