Sudan’s VP, SPLM chairman to finalise peace talks in Nairobi

KHARTOUM, Sudan, Dac 6, 2004 (PANA) — First Vice President Ali Osman Mohammed Taha of Sudan leaves Khartoum Monday for Nairobi to orchestrate what is expected to be the final touches of the last round of peace talks with the Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M), headed by John Garang.

SPLM chairman John Garng with Sudan’s VP Ali Osman Taha.

Taha and Garang had successfully reached six agreements on most outstanding issues ranging from political and wealth sharing to security and military accords their negotiations that lasted for more than one year in Naivasha, 80km west Nairobi.

Last month, the UN Security Council held an extraordinary session
in Nairobi to oversee the signing of a written pledge between the
two leaders. The pledge calls for signing of a final
comprehensive peace agreement between the two sides to end the
civil war that has ravaged Sudan for 21 years.

One of the most outstanding issues that both sides must settle is
the insistence of SPLA/M for inclusion of thousands of its
military troops for payment in the national budget.

Khartoum totally rejects the demand, saying the troops cannot be
included in the state budget.

“We can’t agree to finance the SPLA/M troops from the public
budget of the state…they (the movement) have to look for
another sources,” Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail told
journalists here Sunday.

Meanwhile, most dailies in Khartoum on Sunday quoted Garang as
expressing confidence that his movement would conclude a peace
agreement with the Khartoum government before a UN deadline
expires come the end of December 2004.

“We are optimistic about this situation and we have committed
ourselves to signing the agreement on time,” press reports quoted
Garang as saying in South Africa after he met with South Africa’s
Deputy President, Jacob Zuma.

“I am confident we will conclude and sign the peace agreement in
terms of UN Security Council resolution 1574,” he added.

Peace talks on southern Sudan are separate from others focusing
on the conflict in the western region of Darfur. Fighting in
Darfur has driven an estimated 1.2 million people from their
homes, while at least 50,000 people have died.