Sudan ready to resume Abuja peace talks

KHARTOUM, April 25, 2005 (Xinhua) — The Sudanese government is ready to resume Abuja peace talks with the Darfur rebels unconditionally, Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported Monday.

Majzoub el-Khalifa, head of the Sudanese government delegation to peace talks with the Darfur rebels in Abuja (AP).

Sudan will exert utmost efforts to make the upcoming talks conclusive and decisive to push forward the comprehensive peace process, Mjzoub el-Khalifa, head of the Sudanese government’s delegation to the Abuja peace talks, was quoted as saying.

He made the remarks after meeting with an African Union’s delegation currently visiting Sudan to discuss preparations for the next peace talks in Abuja, Nigeria.

The Sudanese government has fulfilled all its commitments to the joint committee for the ceasefire, Khalifa said, adding that the humanitarian and security situations in Darfur has improved.

On AU exerted efforts to hold the upcoming round of Abuja talks in May, Khalifa said “that needs arrangements with all parties concerned in the issue.”

Sudan’s arid and impoverished western region of Darfur has been in the grip of civil war for more than two years, after black African residents rebelled against what they see as persecution from Khartoum’s Arab-led government.

Thousands of people are estimated to have been killed and more than a million driven from their homes during the violence.

The AU has brokered a shaky ceasefire and sent a small force of military observers, but three previous rounds of talks in the Nigerian capital Abuja has failed to find a political solution so far.