Sudan optimistic on reaching comprehensive peace in Darfur

The Sudanese government on Wednesday expressed optimism on possibility of reaching a comprehensive peace agreement on Darfur through the Qatari-hosted peace talks, despite absence of the major Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

"There are available opportunities now to reach a comprehensive peace with the Darfur Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) through Doha negotiating forum," Ghazi Salahuddin, Sudanese presidential adviser, who is also in charge of the Darfur file, told reporters at Khartoum airport Wednesday.

"The LJM has shown keenness on the negotiations in a way that qualifies it to be a partner in the negotiation effort to reach a peaceful settlement for the crisis," he said.

"I had constructive talks with the Qatari leadership in Doha today on the arrangements for the coming round of negotiations," he said.

The Sudanese official further declared that the coming round of peace talks would be resumed on the first week of June, saying that "I have affirmed the government's readiness to resume the negotiations at any time, but it is important to set a timetable for the negotiations."

In the meantime, Salahuddin said the JEM was the one which isolated itself from the negotiation track, adding that "the movement is the one which decided to abandon the negotiating table. We have done our best to bring the movement closer but it has chosen to adopt obstinate stances that do no help negotiating with it."

He stressed that Khartoum would keep on legally pursuing the JEM and its leader Khalil Ibrahim on charges of committing war crimes against civilians, humanitarian workers and relief supply convoys in Darfur, saying that "the movement has committed acts that it should legally be questioned for."

Salahuddin on Wednesday held talks in Doha with the Qatari State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud and the Joint Mediator of the United Nations-African Union Djibril Bassole.

Source: Xinhua