No CAR deal in sight, talks suspended
2013-01-10 09:00
Libreville - Peace talks to resolve the Central African
rebel crisis were suspended until on Thursday, with no settlement in sight
after the rebels demanded that President Francois Bozize resign and be brought
before the International Criminal Court for war crimes.
"There is no alternative, only Bozize's
resignation," said Florian Ndjadder, a spokesperson for Seleka - an
umbrella group of several rebel factions - after 12 hours of talks with a
government delegation.
"Centrafricans' only problem is Bozize, that's
it," he added.
Representatives of Seleka, which launched a major offensive
last month and has stormed to within striking distance of the capital, left the
meeting at midnight but were expected back at the bargaining table on Thursday
morning.
"Tonight it's deadlock but the rebels will be back on
Thursday," said an official at the Gabonese foreign ministry.
Seleka earlier demanded in a memo distributed at the first
day of the talks "that proceedings be taken against Francois Bozize at the
ICC".
It accused the Central African head of state of "war
crimes and crimes against humanity" including "detentions and false
imprisonment, kidnappings, disappearances, assassinations and summary
executions".
The three-way talks between the Central African government,
rebels and the political opposition are being brokered by regional bloc the
Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) in the Gabonese capital
Libreville with the backing of the United Nations and the United States.
Peace negotiations
The talks were to focus on renegotiating peace agreements
signed by Bangui between 2007 and 2011 which rebels say have been violated.
Seleka launched an offensive in the north on 10 December and
soon crossed most of the Central African Republic, an impoverished country of
five million people roughly the size of former colonial master France.
Capturing several key towns along the way, the rebels moved
southward towards Bangui, but stopped around 160km from the capital after
regional powers sent troops to bolster the embattled army.
On Wednesday, the head of Chad's military contingent in the
country said he had met with rebels around 10km north of Damara, the last major
town between Seleka and the capital, and asked them to retreat.
Bozize, who took power in a 2003 coup, has warned he would
not leave his job.
The chair of the peace talks, Congolese Foreign Minister
Basile Ikouebe, urged Bozize's foes as the opening session got under way to
"stick to African Union rules on regime change".
The rebels demanded recognition by Bozize and his regime
"of their military defeat and abdication in the interest of the people of
Central Africa". They further asked Bozize to "find himself a safe haven".
ECCAS foreign ministers on Tuesday said they "regretted
that all parties continue to make incendiary statements" and warned of
"the complexity of the task" ahead of them.
Bozize - who is not expected to attend the talks in person
- lashed out at the rebels on Tuesday night, branding them "terrorist
mercenaries".
Regional approach
Voted back into office twice, in 2005 and 2011, he has been
accused of plotting to modify the constitution to allow him to seek a third
term in 2016.
But the government delegation had voiced confidence that
concessions Bozize has offered so far - he has proposed a national unity
government and said he would not try to seek an unconstitutional third term -
would go a long way toward resolving the conflict.
Wednesday's talks are to be followed on Thursday by a summit
of ECCAS heads of state, in which Bozize is expected to take part.
ECCAS on Tuesday urged the government to back a
"regional approach" to the crisis, an implicit criticism of the troop
reinforcements sent by South Africa - not part of the regional bloc - to shore
up Bozize's position in Bangui.
The rebel offensive has raised international alarm of a
prolonged conflict engulfing the mineral-rich, impoverished country known for
coups and mutinies.
In France, the foreign ministry welcomed the launch of
talks.
"Negotiation is more necessary than ever. We call on
all parties to find the path to a durable political solution to the
crisis," said ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot.
