Spotlight on peace in Darfur

2007-07-15 15:46

Tripoli - The United Nations and the African Union have begun meeting to evaluate the peace process in Darfur, the war-torn Sudanese region bedevilled by fragmented rebel groups and competing initiatives.

The UN envoy for Sudan, Jan Eliasson, said the meeting aimed to unify competing peace plans and set the stage for negotiations to end a conflict that has killed an estimated 200 000 people in more than four years.

"It's time to focus seriously on the peace talks," he told the opening session. "The unification of the rebel movements is key to the success of the process.

"There is a need for a African Union-UN lead; there is a need for discipline. We have an enormous responsibility towards the people of Darfur," said Eliasson, who together with AU counterpart Salim Ahmed Salim has recently led four largely fruitless missions to Sudan.

Hopes of a breakthrough

Salim warned the meeting that the situation in the western region remained "catastrophic.

"Each day brings more suffering and destruction, but also a radicalisation on the ground," said the AU emissary, who deplored the militarisation of Darfur refugee camps.

The meeting is being held amid hopes of a breakthrough to end the conflict after the AU said Salim had secured a commitment from a rebel chief to take part in talks to create a "final and lasting peace."

The meeting comes as the United Nations examines a revised Security Council draft resolution authorising a joint peacekeeping force in Darfur for an initial 12 months to replace the embattled AU force.

Eliasson said UN and AU negotiators were in near daily contact with the roughly dozen rebel groups, but many had not yet agreed to join the talks.

'Meeting will fix a date'

"Representatives of most of the Sudanese rebel movements are also in Tripoli for talks on the sidelines of the conference," said Ali Triki of the Libyan foreign ministry.

"The meeting will fix a date for the start of negotiations with the rebel groups that did not sign the Abuja accord," he said, referring to last year's inconclusive peace deal.

Also attending the meeting are Britain, Canada, Chad, China, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, the United States, the Arab League and the European Union, as well as Sudan.

- AFP