20110115
Sudan Tribune

Khartoum — US's President envoy to Sudan Scott Gration said Doha peace process should continue as all the efforts are needed to end the war in Darfur region.

The special envoy was reacting to the withdrawal of Sudan's government negotiating team from Doha at the end of 2010 as the mediator finalizing a peace deal with the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) and brokering a truce between the army and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

Khartoum said no need to maintain its delegation in Doha as no tangible progress in the talks with LJM; also Sudanese officials claimed that JEM was not serious to reach peace. Analysts however believe that the government is seeking to prioritize a peace plan to achieve peace through direct dialogue to be held in Darfur between different ethnic and civil society group.

Gration who supports the strategy of the Sudanese government for peace from inside the Sudan believes also that Doha venue remains valid for direct talks between the government and the rebel groups.

"They (the mediators) are a position to help bring about a cease-fire," Gration said after a two-day trip to North Darfur.

"We want to keep the dialogue going ... while there is still an effort to move the implementation to Darfur, there is no effort yet to close off the discussion in Doha."

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a visit to Doha this week hailed the State of Qatar for sponsoring Darfur peace process and reiterated Washington support to the venue. Hillary was reacting to statements made by US Senator John Kerry who called to move the process from Doha.

The special envoy stressed the need to engage civil society in the resolution of the conflict. He also point out that the government can continue to improve the situation of displaced persons on the ground without waiting the outcome of the peace talks.

Gration who called for a greater international commitment to end Darfur conflict, said the UNAMID must establish a ceasefire commission involving the rebel groups in the region to create the necessary condition for successful dialogue in Darfur.

The Joint Chief Mediator, Djibril Bassole is announced to arrive Saturday to Khartoum to discuss compromise proposals on the pending issues in the talks with LJM.

Also following the Shuttle diplomacy proposed by Khartoum, Sudan's top negotiator to the Doha talks Amin Hassan Omer was in Doha for talks on the cessation of hostilities agreement with the Qatari state minister for foreign affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud.