November 20, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) - The government negotiating team for the talks on Darfur conflict has expressed major reservation on the proposal submitted by the African mediation Thursday night saying they will respond to it according to their mandate.
- Head of government delegation for talks for peace in Darfur Amin Hassan Omer speaks to reporters in Addis Ababa on Friday 20 November 2015 (ST Photo)
Talks between the Sudanese government and the armed movements on a cessation of hostilities in Darfur region and South Kordofan and Blue Nile have convened Thursday in Addis Ababa under the auspices of the African Union.
The mediation held a separate meeting for the conflict in Darfur region on Thursday evening and extended proposals for a cessation of hostilities to the delegations of the Sudanese government and armed groups.
The government chief negotiator for Darfur track Amin Hassan Omer told reporters Friday that the African mediation invited the government and rebel groups to negotiate on a cessation of hostilities in Darfur and the Two Areas saying however its proposal on Darfur didn’t point directly to the ceasefire but mentioned the “cessation of hostilities that paves the way for participation in the national dialogue”.
“Our understanding is that the cessation of hostilities is linked to the negotiations not the dialogue because [the government delegations] for the talks on Darfur and the Two Areas are [mandated to discuss issues pertaining to the negotiations] while the [national] dialogue issues should be discussed by the [dialogue body known as] 7+7 committee,” he added.
He pointed that the government delegation came to Addis Ababa to sign a cessation of hostilities that enables the two sides to resume negotiations on the political and security issues in Darfur and the Two Areas, saying however “the cessation of hostilities itself would ultimately create a climate conducive for the national dialogue”.
Omer said the mediation proposal considered that the government delegation came to Addis Ababa to discuss the national dialogue, pointing his negotiating team is not authorized to talk on dialogue issues.
“That is why our response to the [mediation proposal] would seek to illustrate the nature of our mandate and that [we came to discuss] a cessation of hostilities that directly leads to a ceasefire which allows for political arrangements to [resolve the conflicts] in Darfur and the Two Areas,” he added.
He stressed that his delegation also have major reservations on the mediation proposal, pointing they will mention them in their response to the AUHIP.
The government chief negotiator further said they will sign a cessation of hostilities with the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-MM) led by Minni Minnawi and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Jibril Ibrahim despite the fact that the two movements have no military presence in Darfur.
“Therefore, there are no hostilities in the first place between [those rebel movements and the Sudanese government,” he said.
“Hostilities were being actually ceased but we wouldn’t mind to sign this document [for a cessation of hostilities] as a good will gesture,” he added.
Omer said they are ready to sign the cessation of hostilities if it will lead to the resumption of the political process which enables the two sides to discuss security and political arrangements within the framework of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).
“If that wasn’t the case and [they want us] to sign a cessation of hostilities for the national dialogue purposes, we will make it clear in our response to the mediation proposal that are not authorized [to sign such a deal],” he stressed.
He pointed they had previously told the mediation of the government stance on this issue, saying the proposal might have been prepared prior to the government clarification.
“And that is why they made the same suggestion for [signing a cessation of hostilities that paves the way for the national dialogue] which delegation is not authorized to discuss,” he added.
Omer stressed that his statements don’t mean that talks have reached a deadlock, saying the mediation could facilitate the return of the two sides to the major track of the Doha forum and the DDPD
Source: Sudan Tribune
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