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Sudan, Darfur rebels agree to hold peace talks

(Reuters)
Updated: 2009-02-18 19:43

DUBAI -- Sudan's government and a leading Darfur rebel faction agreed on Tuesday to meet for peace talks, signing a deal with concessions from both sides, and the Qatari mediator urged all other rebels and Chad to come to the table.

Delegates sign agreements during Darfur peace talks in an attempt to broker an end to the six-year war in Darfur, in Doha, February 17, 2009. [Reuters]

Tuesday's agreement included measures to aid and protect refugees in Darfur and a commitment by the two sides to continue negotiations in Doha. The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) also wants a prisoner swap.

Related readings:  Sudan's president announces ceasefire in Darfur  UN council renews Darfur peacekeeping mandate  Darfur's political process 'should not be disrupted'  China warns against complication of Darfur issue

JEM said it would release some of its Sudanese government detainees as a show of goodwill. The prisoner issue is a thorny one that has come close to frustrating Qatari efforts.

Sudan started negotiations last week with JEM, almost six years into a conflict that some say has killed 200,000 people and uprooted 2.7 million.

But other influential rebel factions are refusing to talk to Khartoum and the cooperation of neighbouring Chad, which hosts refugees fleeing Darfur, is seen as key to any lasting peace.

"I want to clarify that this agreement is open to all the other factions," Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani told reporters in Doha, where the talks are being held.

"This process should also involve an agreement between Chad and Sudan as this will help a great deal to resolve the issue. We and the brothers in Libya are trying and hope very soon to be able to do something as this will ... make it not just a peace among Sudanese but also with its neighbours."

The preliminary agreement comes as Sudan awaits a ruling from International Criminal Court (ICC) judges within weeks on whether to issue a warrant for President Omar al-Bashir's arrest over allegations that he was behind genocide in Darfur.

The United Nations and United States said Tuesday's accord could be a first step toward peace. But officials cited the absence of a ceasefire and the fact that other rebel groups were not involved in talks as proof that more work needed to be done.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice also said the deal did not change Washington's opposition to deferring any ICC indictment of Bashir.

JEM and other Darfur rebels took up arms against the government in 2003, demanding better representation and infrastructure for the Western region.

Khartoum mobilised mostly Arab militias to crush the revolt but denies US accusations this amounted to genocide.

JEM, which also demands Khartoum pledge not to impede humanitarian aid and refrain from harassing displaced people, has said it supports Bashir's indictment. But the group's leader Khalil Ibrahim said it was committed to pursuing peace talks.

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