Darfur peace talks in Doha again delayed

The Doha negotiations, which were scheduled to start yesterday, have been postponed to a later date, yet to be determined. The delay was attributed to the absence of the top mediators, the Qatari Minister of State Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud, and the United Nations representative Djibril Bassolé, who are at meetings of the UN General Assembly in New York. The spokesman of the Liberation and Justice Movement, Abdullah Mursal, said that the negotiations will begin within two days. He noted however that the negotiating committees will start work in Doha today. He was speaking from Doha yesterday.

For his part, the head of the Sudan government delegation at Doha reiterated the government’s keenness to reach a peace agreement in Doha before the end of the year. Dr. Omer Adam Rahman, spokesman of the delegation and a senior ruling party member, said that this round will be the final round of talks. He was speaking to Radio Dabanga from Doha yesterday.

The Doha talks were suspended before the beginning of the month of Ramadan. Mediators had earlier set the date of 19 September to renew the talks, then pushed it back until 29 September, and now until an unconfirmed date.

The Justice and Equality Movement renewed its refusal to take part in the Doha negotiations. The movement described what is taking place at Doha as a conspiracy and a way to try to kill the Darfur issue. Ahmed Hussein Adam, JEM spokesman, said this in an interview with Radio Dabanga.  The movement of Abdul Wahid and the Roadmap Group also refuse to participate in the Doha negotiations.