Uganda, rebels sign key accord
2008-02-23 18:19
Kampala - Uganda and the rebel Lord's Resistance Army agreed on Friday on a deal to implement an earlier accord aimed at setting the targets for negotiations to end two decades of conflict.
The Ugandan government and the LRA signed the accord on the "implementation protocol to the Agreement on Comprehensive Solutions (ACS)," according to the copy of the deal received by AFP.
The signing in the South Sudanese capital Juba was witnessed by former Mozambique president Joachim Chissano, who is also the UN special envoy to northern Uganda, both sides told AFP.
The key point of the ACS, signed in May 2007, is that the Ugandan people must have the right to exercise universal principles of democracy.
On Wednesday, UN chief Ban Ki-moon urged the feuding sides to quickly reach a comprehensive peace deal.
The talks are seen as the best chance to end a conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced around 1.8 million others.