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Sudan: Sixth round of Darfur peace talks to start in Nigeria this week

Abuja (dpa) - The ongoing sixth round of peace talks for the troubled Sudanese region of Darfur is scheduled to start in the Nigerian capital this week, chief negotiator Sam Ibok told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa on Monday.

The negotiations are taking place between Khartoum and the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement and Army and the Justice and Equality Movement.

"We have not fixed any specific date. We are beginning separate consultations with the three parties today (Monday) and hopefully we will begin the main negotiations by Wednesday,'' Ibok said.

The peace talks are being held under the auspices of the African Union.

The negotiations follow on the heels of week-long three-part workshops during which delegates were taken through the rudiments of sharing power and wealth and security arrangements by experts in the areas.

The Darfur conflict centres around the distribution of power and wealth between the different regions of Sudan and on the security of the people of Darfur.

Hundreds of thousands of Darfur residents were displaced within the region or turned into refugees in neighbouring countries.

Consultations held last Saturday in Ndjamena between President Idriss Deby of Chad and the Sudan rebel Justice and Equality Movement were successful, the African Union said in a statement.

In the past, the rebel movement refused to recognize Chad as a co-mediator, but accepted that Nigeria, Egypt, Libya and Eritrea were welcome to play the role. dpa ah wjh

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