Rebel groups invited to Darfur peace talks in August
Source: Reuters
TRIPOLI, July 16 (Reuters) - The United Nations and the African Union invited Darfur rebel factions that did not sign a 2006 peace deal with the Sudanese government to attend talks in Tanzania next month, the two bodies said on Monday. The meeting's aim is to ensure that all parties are involved and consulted about plans for the next round of peace talks between rebels and the government, and to avoid the "deadline diplomacy" critics cited as a reason the 2006 deal's failure. Envoys of the United Nations, African Union, European Union, Arab League and government representatives from 14 countries including the United States, China, Russia, Libya and Egypt wrapped up a two-day meeting on Darfur in Tripoli on Monday. "The meeting underlined that the current situation in Darfur is dynamic, fragile and evolving rapidly," a statement said. "Participants agreed that there is a need for urgent action to achieve a comprehensive political agreement to end the conflict and the long suffering of the people in Darfur." International experts estimate 200,000 people have died in four years of rape, killing and disease in Darfur, violence the United States calls genocide. Khartoum rejects the term and puts the death toll at 9,000. Only one of the three rebel negotiating factions signed last year's peace deal on Darfur, which has been roundly criticised by many of the country's estimated 2.5 million refugees who said it did not go far enough to ensure their security. Since the May 1006 deal, the rebels have split into more than a dozen factions, who will not all get a seat around the negotiating table. The statement did not name the factions to attend the talks in Arusha, Tanzania, on Aug. 3-5, but urged Libya, Chad and Eritrea to "facilitate efforts aimed at bringing cohesion among the non-signatory movements in furtherance of the peace process in Darfur". In Eritrea on Saturday, five Darfur rebel groups agreed to unite ahead of possible peace talks. In a statement to reporters, the new group, the United Front for Liberation and Development (UFLD), called on other rebels in Sudan's western region to join them.
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