Ban hails Darfur peace talks

2007-07-20 07:34

New York - United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon on Thursday hailed the "constructive outcome" of recent inter-Sudanese talks to end the Darfur conflict and urged the parties to negotiate in good faith for lasting peace.

He said the meeting in Tripoli, Libya, on Sunday and Monday validated the African Union-UN plan to convene a meeting in August 3-5 in Arusha, Tanzania.

The meeting was "to be followed by the issuance of invitations to the parties to begin comprehensive political negotiations later that same month".

A statement released by Ban's office said: "The meeting reconfirmed the strong international support for AU-UN leadership role in negotiations towards a comprehensive political solution to the conflict in Darfur."

Ban strongly urged all parties "to engage in good faith in forthcoming political negotiations in order to achieve lasting peace and bring this terrible tragedy to an end".

Rebels launch a rebellion

According to UN estimates, at least 200 000 people had died from the combined effect of war and famine since the conflict in the western Sudanese region of Darfur erupted in February 2003.

The civil war broke out after rebel groups, complaining of marginalisation by Khartoum launched a rebellion, which was brutally repressed by the Sudanese government and its proxy militia, the Janjaweed.

Efforts to end the four-year conflict by paving the way for new talks between Khartoum and fragmented rebel groups took a step forward on Monday at the meeting of key players in Libya.

According to a final statement from the two-day conference, international envoys and rebel groups, which failed to sign up to a May 2006 peace deal would meet next month to fix a date and venue for the start of negotiations between the warring sides.

Meanwhile, it was reported that Chinese President Hu Jintao urged the global community on Thursday to push forward the peace process in Darfur, ahead of a UN vote expected this week on deploying peacekeepers.

Hu was quoted as saying: "The international community should seize the current favourable moment to push forward in a balanced way peacekeeping operations and the political process."

He said the global community must "help the Sudan government improve the humanitarian and security situation in the Darfur region and push the issue toward resolution".

- AFP