Troika calls for realism in Sudan peace talks
December 11, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway (Troika countries) Wednesday welcomed the resumption of peace talks and called for pragmatism and realism from the parties to the process.
Sudanese transitional government and armed groups of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North led by Abdel Aziz l-Hilu (SPLM-N al-Hilu) resumed peace talks in Juba on 10 December.
The process initially had to be concluded on 14 December, but the transitional government has just signed a declaration of principles with the SRF. However, some groups of this coalition call for another venue instead of Juba and the nomination of a mediator backed by regional and international mandate.
While the SPLM-N al-Hilu demands to include the right for self-determination in the framework agreement if the negotiation delegation fails to include the separation of religion and state in the talks.
” It is our sincere hope that all interested stakeholders will join these talks and show a renewed spirit of cooperation, pragmatism, and realism to ensure these negotiations succeed. This is what the people of Sudan expect and deserve,” said the Troika.
The three countries that have facilitated the peace talks since a long time ago, said that only peace and allow to ensure the humanitarian and security needs of the civilians in the conflict areas and end their suffering.
They further pointed to the SRF opposition to the formation of the transitional legislative assembly and state governor before the signing of a peace agreement and called all the parties to support these two steps which are seen central to the empowerment of the civilian rule during the transitional period.
“We furthermore encourage all sides to come to the talks without pre-conditions,” said the statement.
“It is vital that all sides demonstrate the political will to work together, and engage productively, to find solutions to outstanding issues. If they do so they will have the support of the Troika,” the statement stressed.
The Friends of Sudan in a meeting held in Khartoum on Wednesday called on the “armed groups” to participate in the negotiations “in good faith and without preconditions”.
They further said concerned by the delay in the peace talks saying that “a protracted process of negotiations will fail to take advantage of the new opportunities created by the change of government and may undermine the transition”.
(ST)