Sudan will not accept to transfer peace talks from Juba
November 21, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The head of the Sudanese Sovereign Council said his government would not accept to transfer the venue of the peace talks from Juba.
Juba is hosting the peace talks between the transitional government and the armed groups including the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) and the SPLM-N al-Hilu.
However, some SRF groups aksed to host the talks to a country that can contribute to rebuilding the war-hit areas and contribute to its developments.
“Juba would remain the venue for negotiations with armed groups and if there was another option, I expect the talks to be moved to Khartoum,” said al-Burhan when asked about the continuation of Juba as the venue of the peace process during an interview on the Qatari Al Jazeera TV.
Al-Burhan further expressed his rejection of international mediation, as was the case under the government of Bashir.
It should be noted that the transitional government and the armed movements agreed on the participation of the neighbouring countries as facilitators.
The African Union and the international community called to hold the talks in Khartoum and to limit the discussions in Juba to the security arrangements as the armed group return to Khartoum to participate in the transitional institutions and also take part in a constitutional conference on the future of the country.
Al-Burhan said that there are ongoing consultations with the SRF on the formation of the Transitional Legislative Council (TLC) and the appointment of the state governors, stressing the two matters are urgently needed to complete the tasks of the transition.
“The TLC can be formed partially after coordination with the movements that we are seeking to be a partner in the process,” he further said.
The armed groups have demanded the postponement of parliament, saying it guarantees them the right to several sufficient seats.
The movements have previously criticized the formation of the government and the Sovereign Council without their participation.
(ST)