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| Africa Horn |
| JEM urges Annan's mediation in Darfur |
| 2008-03-17 |
| A rebel leader in Sudan's region of Darfur has called for peace talks with the Khartoum government with Kofi Annan's mediation. “We are calling for one single boss. We are calling for institutional reform for the mediation and we are suggesting that Mr Kofi Annan is suitable for heading this negotiation, to lead both the AU and UN," Khalil Ibrahim, leader of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement said on Sunday. Ibrahim said his movement was calling for "corrections inside the AU-UN mediation" that has so far failed to make headway in bringing peace. The group has refused to take part in African Union- and UN-sponsored peace talks aimed at ending five years of violence in Darfur where international groups say 200,000 people have died and 2.2 million been displaced. Ibrahim's call came one day before the top AU and UN envoys to Darfur, Salim Ahmed Salim and Jan Eliasson, open talks in Geneva between regional and international players that neither Sudan nor any rebel group will attend. In Libya, another rebel leader, Abdallah Yahia, said on Sunday that his faction was ready to take part in Sirte negotiations. "The leadership of the movement underlines its desire to reach a just peace in Sudan and announces its participation in the next round of negotiations in Sirte," said the head of the Sudan Liberation Movement-Unity. The rebel leader said the negotiations would however have to be restricted to the "military movements on the ground" and no other parties. |
| Posted by:Fred |