Sudanese Govt Accepts Egyptian-Libyan Peace InitiativeThe government of the Sudan has accepted the Joint Egyptian-Libyan Initiative (JELI) for peace and reconciliation in the country, which was first launched in 1999, Mustafa Osman Ismail, Sudanese minister for Foreign Affairs said Thursday.Ismail told a press conference that his government accepted the initiative immediately after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) endorsed and signed the initiative. He explained that the NDA is the umbrella opposition group which includes the rebel movement, the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in southern Sudan, and northern opposition parties. On July 4 this year, the government acceded to a nine-point memorandum for negotiations presented by the JELI on June 26 and tabled its acceptance with the two patrons of the initiative, Ismail said, adding that the opposition parties in the Sudan have also accepted the memorandum. In the memorandum, the JELI defined the fundamentals and principles for the Sudanese concerned parties to follow for working towards realizing peace and comprehensive national reconciliation. The nine points are related to the unity of the land and the people of the Sudan, recognition of the multiracial, mutl- religious and multi-cultural nature, multi-party democracy, establishing a decentralized administrative system, formation of an interim government, convening the national conference for revising the constitution. among others. The memorandum also urged the commitment of all the parties to immediately and comprehensively stop the war for paving the way for starting the dialogue and pushing the negotiations forward. Ismail told the press that the government is ready to stop the war for negotiations with the opposition parties, even starting from tomorrow. "The government of the Sudan believes on immediate cessation of hostilities, that is, a monitored cease-fire," the foreign minister said. Ismail added that unequivocal acceptance of the JELI memorandum by all parties should followed by sincere steps to bring a speedy end to the tragic humanitarian crisis that currently unfolds in southern Sudan. The Sudan peace talks have drag on in Kenya since 1994 under the auspices of Inter-Governmental Authority for Development and no real sign of progress has been achieved. The conflict between the Sudanese government and the SPLA has claimed around 2 million lives since 1983. |
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