Deadline set for 19 October as Darfur peace talks resume

The negotiations between the government and the Liberation and Justice Movement resumed yesterday in Doha through the established committees.  This follows a steering committee meeting Tuesday evening chaired by the two chief mediators.The Qatari mediator Al Mahmoud said he expected the completion of negotiations by 19 October. After the direct talks end the mediation will update the draft peace agreement into a final form for signing. Al Mahmoud said that there are continued contacts with Abdel Wahid Al Nur and Dr. Khalil Ibrahim, the rebel leaders who boycott the talks.

He said the mediation explained its objective is to complete and sign the Darfur Peace Agreement by the end of this year. Omer Adam Rahman, the spokesman of the Sudanese government delegation, said that the government welcomes the resumption of the Doha negotiations in the committees.

Taj Al Din Basher Niam, the chief negotiator of the Liberation and Justice Movement, told Radio Dabanga that the talks resumed in Doha on Wednesday. He said that negotiations will continue through the committees until 19 October, which will be the last day of the Doha negotiations between the government and the movement.