Garang ready to participate in Sudan’s Darfur peace talks

KHARTOUM, Apr 24, 2005 (Sudan Tribune) — The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement has affirmed the readiness of its leader, John Garang, to attend the Abuja negotiations between the government and armed factions in Darfur.

This comes at a time when discussions and preparations are ongoing to resume the fifth round of talks in the Nigerian capital under the auspices of the African Union led by Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.

In this regard, Garang’s political adviser in Khartoum, Muhammad Yusuf, said that the problem of Darfur would be resolved through dialogue in the light of the Naivasha agreement. He said this is what the SPLM was advocating for.

He said the leader of SPLM was ready to participate in the negotiations, calling for adoption a similar approach to the one used in reaching the Naivasha agreement.

Meanwhile, the khartoum based Al-Shari al-Siyasi said that the SPLM is playing an important role in delaying the Abuja negotiations until it gains a constitutional position after the approval of the of interim constitution and the swearing-in of its leader as vice-president, thereafter actively contribute to getting a solution to the Darfur crisis in Darfur.