Sudanese govt., southern rebels to resume final round of talks

The Sudanese government and southern rebels will resume a crucial final round of talks to thrash out a final comprehensive peace accord on Friday in the Kenyan town Naivasha, officials said Thursday in Nairobi.

Muhammad Ahmad Dirdeiry, Sudanese deputy ambassador in Kenyan capital Nairobi, made the remarks after the conclusion of a three-day seminar on how to conduct ceasefire negotiations ahead of the resumption of talks.

"We have ended our three-day seminar on ceasefire negotiations and tomorrow (Friday) both parties will travel to Naivasha (about 90 km northwest of Nairobi) to begin the final round of talks," said Dirdeiry.

Kenyan mediators have said a final deal could be concluded within two months of the restart of negotiations, which are expected to discuss two issues of ceasefire arrangements and how to implement a final peace deal.

Military experts from the United States and Britain are also expected to take part in the final round of talks, Dirdeiry said.

The southern rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) signed a number of protocols with the government in May, paving the way for a final peace accord.

However, the peace talks do not cover a separate conflict in the western region of Darfur, where human rights groups say horse-mounted militias have forced more than one million black Africans to flee, raping and pillaging on the way.

The war in the Sudan erupted in 1983, together with recurrent famine and disease, it has killed at least 1.5 million people and displaced 4 million others.