No negotiations with Darfur rebels ‘from scratch’: Minister

The Sudanese government reiterates its refusal to enter into renewed negotiations with the Darfur rebel groups “from scratch”, said State Minister at the Presidency Amin Hassan Omar.  In a joint press conference on 7 November in Khartoum with Unamid head Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Omar said he cannot override the achievements made ​​already as well as the peace agreements that have been signed.”The Doha peace document and other conventions and protocols, besides the peace protocols for the Blue Nile State and South Kordofan State, are the basic references for any new negotiations with the insurgents. The Sudanese government welcomes negotiations with all parties on the basis of previous agreements.” Omar, who is also in charge of overseeing the implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), noted he cannot ignore the achievements of the treaty “agreed upon” by the people of Darfur.“This document has become a binding agreement under the resolutions of the AU Peace and UN Security Council. The Sudanese government expects the armed movements to join the peace process according to the UN Security Council resolutions.”  Ibn Chambas reported that he will pay visits to Juba, the capital of South Sudan, the Chadian capital N’Djamena, and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to mobilise support for the efforts of the Joint Mission to end the armed actions in Darfur and to convince the armed movements to return to the negotiating table. File photo: Mohamed Ibn Chambas, salutes Unamid staff on his visit to the Zalingei Unamid base, Central Darfur (Albert González Farran/Unamid, 2013)  Related:DRA ready to implement Peace Document in Darfur, funds available: Sese (7 November 2013)Plans to close Nyala camps and house South Darfur displaced in ‘model villages’ (5 November 2013)Chad President ‘interfering in Sudanese affairs’: Rebels (4 November 2013)