Darfur rebels agree to peace talks

Following an unprecedented meeting of rebel groups from Darfur, leaders representing more than a dozen militias agreed on a "common platform" for negotiations with the Sudanese government. The four-day talks held in Arusha, Tanzania, ended on Monday with many observers, including the European Union, hailing the gathering as the start of the peace process. Still, the absence of several prominent leaders concerned participants and observers.

The rebel leaders present at the Arusha meeting agreed on a plan to share power and wealth, create security arrangements, deal with land and humanitarian issues, and handle the "final negotiations." The British Broadcasting Corp. reports that the details of the common peace terms will be presented to the Khartoum government in a confidential document.

Special UN envoy to Darfur Jan Eliasson told the BBC the agreement was an important step forward.

"One of the main problems we have had to reach negotiations has been the split and the splintering among the rebel movement," he said, adding that he was on his way to the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, for discussions with the government.

Javier Solana, the EU foreign policy chief, described the meeting as "very encouraging." Urging rebel groups and the Sudanese government to live up to their commitments, he vowed that the EU would continue its support of the peace process, reports Reuters. Mr. Solana also said that the EU must "demonstrate genuine dedication to put an end to this crisis."

"The prospect of peace in Darfur has moved a significant step closer," he said in a statement. "The common position among essential non-signatory movements is an achievement, which holds the promise of peace negotiations in the coming months."

Rebels say they will be ready to meet with the Sudanese government to hold peace talks within the next two to three months. Representatives from Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, and Libya also attended the conference in order to monitor the progress toward final negotiations, reports the United Nations News Agency. Though not all groups who were invited actually attended the event, those present agreed to allow those who did not participate to join their common platform.

The talks were also supposed to "create an enabling environment for the non-signatories [to last year's Darfur Peace Agreement] to meet and consult among themselves, with other participants and the Special Envoys in order to facilitate the preparations for the negotiations," according to the statement of conclusions issued by [UN and African Union Special Envoys Jan Eliasson and Salim Ahmed Salim] today.

Page: 1 | 2