Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Sudan

Sudanese gov't, eastern rebels to resume talks on July 17: official

KHARTOUM, Jun 21, 2006 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- A Sudanese official announced on Wednesday that the next round of peace negotiations between the Sudanese government and eastern rebels would be held in the Eritrean capital Asmara on July 17.
Sudanese presidential advisor Mustafa Ismail made the announcement upon his return from Asmara, where he attended the first round of negotiations with the rebel East Front.

Ismail, head of the government delegation, said that the government delegation would be engaged in studying all the issues and documents to be discussed in the coming negotiations.

He stressed that the government was determined to achieve a breakthrough in the next round of peace talks in order to realize peace and stability in the east.

When asked about the possible existence of international observers in the negotiations, Ismail said that "until now we have not seen the necessity of their existence."

However, he did not rule out the participation of international observers in the future, stressing that the participation should be agreed by the two negotiating sides and invited by Eritrean mediators.

"The first round of negotiations was held far away from the direct existence of the observers," Ismail said.

On Monday, the government and the East Front wrapped up six days of peace talks in Asmara with the signing of a declaration of principles and a ceasefire agreement.

Early last year, the Eastern Front was founded by Sudan's eastern two main rebel groups, the Beja Congress and the Free Lions. Last June, the front launched its first military offensive against government positions in the Red Sea state.

During a recent visit by Eritrean President Assias Afworeki in Khartoum, Sudan and Eritrea reached an agreement on normalization of bilateral relations and Eritrea's sponsorship of peace talks in Asmara.