Sudan VP pledges to implement UN resolution on peace in the South

KHARTOUM, Sudan, Nov 24 (PANA) — First Vice President Ali Osman Mohammed Taha Tuesday affirmed Khartoum’s commitment to the UN calls for a comprehensive resolution of the conflict in southern Sudan as well as the crisis in the western region of Darfur.

Sudanese Vice President Osman Taha (C) attends a special United Nations (UN) Security Council session focused on Sudan’s civil war in Nairobi. (AFP).

Addressing Parliament after signing a pledge before the UN Security Council last weekend in Kenya with the separatist Sudan Peoples Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M) leader John Garang, Taha said the prod from the UN was encouraging.

In a rare move, the Security Council held two days (18 and 19
November) of formal sessions on Sudan in Nairobi, Kenya at the end of which Khartoum and the SPLA/M signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) pledging to end the war between them by 31 December.

The Council unanimously adopted a resolution not only welcoming
the MOU and encouraging the parties to finalise a peace
agreement, but also expressing “serious concern at the growing
insecurity and violence in Darfur, the dire humanitarian
situation, continued violations of human rights and repeated
breaches of the cease-fire.”

The resolution maintained that a Comprehensive Peace Agreement
would contribute towards sustainable peace and stability
throughout Sudan and to the efforts to address the crisis in
Darfur.

In Parliament, Taha called on the international community to show
positive concern for Sudanese issues and to push forward the
peace process rather than threatening sanctions.

“The participation of the government in the Security Council
deliberations availed us the opportunity to hear to all views,”
said Taha, adding that the Council called on member-states to
write off some of Sudan’s debts and to reconsider its frozen
rights when the peace deal is finally signed.

He said efforts were underway for the second round of talks with
the southern rebels scheduled to resume on 26 November at
committee level, while Taha and Garang would meet on 6 December.