Arab League welcomes agreement between Khartoum, Darfur rebels

CAIRO, Sept 2, 2004 (Xinhua) — The Arab League (AL) on Thursday welcomed an agreement reached between the Sudanese government and rebel groups in the troubled region of Darfur.

Speaking to Egypt’s official MENA news agency, Hossam Zaki, spokesman for AL chief Amr Moussa, said that the deal, signed on Wednesday in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, would facilitate humanitarian efforts in Darfur.

Zaki expressed hope that such an agreement would be fully implemented.

“Moussa is satisfied with the latest development of the ongoing talks between the Sudanese government and the rebels, and hopes that the two sides, with the help of the international community, would reach similar agreements in security and political affairs,” Zaki said.

He also renewed the league’s support for the ongoing negotiations to settle the Darfur crisis.

The Sudanese government and Darfur rebels made their first progress in peace talks in the Nigerian capital late Wednesday, and will move on to the crucial security issue on Thursday.

On the eighth day into talks sponsored by the African Union (AU), the parties reached their first agreement concerning humanitarian aid in Darfur, where more than 50,000 people were killed and over 1.2 million displaced since the start of conflict 18 months ago.

Humanitarian aid in Darfur is the first item in the AU-proposed four-point agenda for Abuja talks.