http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article43632
Eritrea seeks to facilitate talks between Sudan and SPLM-N rebels
August 19, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The Eritrean government has launched an
initiative to bridge gaps between the Sudanese government and the
Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) in order to end the
South Kordofan and Blue Nile conflicts, a news report said.
President Isaias Afwerki (AP)
According to Al-Sudani newspaper, Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki
proposed to facilitate a negotiated settlement to the conflict that
erupted in June last year when the Sudanese army asked the SPLM-N
fighters to disarm before the implementation of a protocol related to
the Two Areas.
Sudanese defence minister, Abdel-Rahim Hussein, travelled to Asmara on
Friday to discuss the initiative with the Eritrean leader.
The Sudanese government and the rebel groups are holding a difficult
indirect process in Addis Ababa as the two parties disagree on
everything. Their negotiating teams nonetheless, inked a humanitarian
deal brokered by an African Union (AU) mediation led by the former
South African president Thabo Mbeki.
But the parties still diverge over many aspects related to the
implementation of these issues.
With regard to the political track, the SPLM-N posed a number of
conditions, including the release of political leaders, reinstatement
of its chairman Malik Agar in his position of Blue Nile governor and
to open this process to include Darfur rebels.
Khartoum, on the other hand, continues to express some reservations
over the framework agreement which is rejected by president Omer
Al-Bashir after its signing by his assistant Nafie Ali Nafie on 28
June 2011.
The newspaper further said that Malik Agar and SPLM-N Secretary
General Yasir Arman have already met with Eritrean leader in Asmara.
Eritrea also reassured the parties that its initiative would not
hamper the ongoing negotiations taking place in Addis Ababa.
The talks are held under the UN resolution 2046, which provides that
the process concerns the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states. The
Security Council decision also indicates that negotiations are based
on the framework agreement.
(ST)
Received on Tue Aug 21 2012 - 00:45:33 EDT
