Abuja talks stalemate could lead to suspension: Sudanese official

OMDURMAN, Nov 8, 2004 (Sudanese Radio) — Informal meetings and talks have been continuing in Abuja with the aim of making a breakthrough in the current negotiation stalemate and in trying to reach an agreement between the government and Darfur rebel movements’ delegations.

Ibrahim Mohamed Ibrahim, spokeman of the Sudanese government delegation to the peace talks, speaks to journalists at venue of the talks in Abuja, Nigeria, Oct. 28, 2004. (AP).

The official spokesman of the government delegation, Ibrahim Mohamed Ibrahim, said there were no new developments and no direct or two sided negotiations have been held.

He said rebels’ inflexibility is still continuing and they are still sticking to the security protocol draft without wanting to listen to the government’s opinion.

He further added the rebels are still insisting that they will only sign the humanitarian protocol alongside the security protocol, yet they had earlier agreed that they will sign the humanitarian protocol during the current round of talks.

Ibrahim said the rebels’ stand was considered a withdrawal from the agreement reached at the beginning of this round of talks.

The official spokesman of the government delegation stressed that the government side was ready to sign the humanitarian protocol and the declaration of political principles.

He said the situation continued the way it was, then no alternative would be left other than suspending the talks until after the Id-al-Fitr holiday.

Material from the BBC Monitoring Service