(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-14 08:42

DAKAR -- Sudanese President Omar Hassan al- Bashir and Chadian President Idriss Deby signed here Thursday evening a peace deal aimed to end years of hostility between the two neighboring countries.

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir (L) shakes hands with Chad's president Idriss Deby as Gabon President Omar Bongo (bottom left), U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (top) and Senegal's president Abdoulaye Wade (C) look on after the signing of a peace deal during the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) summit in Dakar, March 13, 2008. [Agencies]

The latest in a series of peace agreements aimed at pacifying their troubled relations commits both nations to implement past accords that have so far failed to help end violence in the area.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who arrived here Wednesday, and African Union Chairman Jakaya Kikwete, who is also Tanzanian president, were present at the signing ceremony.

The two countries have constantly blamed each other for supporting the neighbor's rebels, who are fighting in the border area between Sudan's Darfur region and eastern Chad.

The two presidents, who are in Dakar to attend the 11th summit of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), met earlier Thursday under the mediation of Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade.

"This is the first time that the OIC and UN cooperate on regional peace and stability issue, which is very good," Sudanese Foreign Minister Deng Alor said to reporters after the signing ceremony.

The signing of the pact came shortly after the two governments traded accusations over an alleged rebel offensive on eastern Chad.

"On Wednesday, Sudan launched several heavily armed columns against Chad. These mercenaries crossed our border near the town of Moudeina," the Chadian national radio reported Thursday, referring to the border town that is located about 160 km south- east of Abeche, the main town in eastern Chad.

The Sudanese government categorically denied it had armed Chadian rebels and sent them across the borders into east Chad.

"We deny totally and elaborately the accusation," Ali al-Sadig, spokesman of the Sudanese Foreign Ministry, told Xinhua.

The Sudanese government "has no idea of the Chadian rebels moving around the border areas," said al-Sadig.

"This accusation proved that Chad has no keenness to realize the reconciliation and normalize its relations with Sudan," the spokesman said.

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