Sudan NCP rejects opposition call for supplemental document

June 21, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The ruling National Congress Party Tuesday has rejected a proposal by the opposition holdout groups to add a supplemental document to the Roadmap Agreement for peace in Sudan before to sign it.

Speaking at a Ramdan breakfast for the leading members of the National Congress Party (NCP), Presidential Assistant and Deputy Chairman of the ruling party, Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid, said that the party and the government have closed the door to any possibility of supplemental document to the Roadmap Agreement upon the request of the opposition.

Hamid further said that the opposition had asked the African Union mediator Thabo Mbeki to sign a memorandum of understanding but mediation refused the demand.

He pointed to the regional and international support for the Roadmap Agreement saying, “We confirm the government rejection of any supplemental document to the roadmap or any memorandums of understanding with the mediation.”

“We will not mortgage the aspirations of people in a closed prison awaiting those who reject the national dialogue,” he further stressed.

The presidential aide went to say that the outcome of the government sponsored dialogue conference met all the demands of the opposition forces including the armed groups.

The statements of the government chief negotiator for peace talks with the SPLM-N come hours after a press conference held by the Sudan Call forces in Khartoum where they repeated their demand for a prep-dialogue meeting to discuss the confidence building measures before to join the dialogue process.

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma issued a statement on Monday welcoming the declaration of a four-month cessation of hostilities by the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir.

Zuma called on the rebel movements in the Two Areas and Darfur to take this opportunity to join the Roadmap process facilitated by the African Unop, High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) and signed by the Government of Sudan on 21 March 2016.

“The signing of the Roadmap by all concerned will allow the parties to resume the negotiations, as soon as possible, and reach agreements on issues that are still outstanding and stalling the achievement of peace and stability in Sudan,” Zuma said.

(ST)