U.S.’s Nagy calls for steps facilitating resumption of talks on power transfer in Sudan
June 14, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – Tibor Nagy, Assistant Secretary for U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs said he pressed the head of the Transitional Military Council Abel Fattah al-Burhan to take needed decisions to allow the resumption of talks on power transfer.
During a two-day visit to Khartoum Nagy and the newly appointed U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan Donald Booth discussed with the opposition coalition, Forces for Freedom and Change and the TMC Chairman ways to end the deadlock in the ongoing talks over power handover to a civilian-led government.
The process has stalled over the composition of the Sovereignty Council and who will head it as the two sides demand the majority of members and the chairmanship. Also, the bloody attack on the sit-in protest exacerbated the situation and led the opposition to declare a general strike and the TMC to cancel the reached agreements.
“Booth and I pressed TMC Chairman Gen Burhan to take steps to allow successful talks to resume: Stop attacks on civilians; Withdraw military from Khartoum,” said Nagy in a series of tweets posted late on Thursday.
“Allow for an independent investigation of the horrible June 3 attack on the peaceful sit-in and other recent violence and stop repression of free speech and the internet,” he added.
The opposition Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) has made similar demands particularly the internet and the redeployment of Rapid Support Forces outside the capital.
TMC spokesperson Shams al-Din Kabbashi in his press conference on Thursday night said that Nagy had advised al-Burhan on some issues but he didn’t elaborate on the nature of discussions during the meeting.
Kabbashi, also, announced they decided to reject demands by the Sudanese opposition to withdraw militiamen out of the capital and to lift the internet blackout.
The military official said they have security concerns that push them to maintain their decisions but at the same time, he said they asked the Ethiopian mediator to convene the talks within 24 hours.
Nagy who described his trip to Khartoum as “productive” headed to Addis Ababa where he will meet African Union officials and the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed who is the chair of IGAD.
In his tweets, he renewed his support for the “African Union’s June 6 communiqué, its suspension of Sudan’s membership from the AU, and its strong message on the need for a civilian-led government”.
He also welcomed Abiy’s efforts to find a political solution that reflects the will of the Sudanese people.
(ST)