This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/7059477.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Talks for Darfur 'must go ahead' | Talks for Darfur 'must go ahead' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Darfur peace talks should go ahead in Libya this weekend in spite of rebel boycotts, Sudan's representative to the United Nations has told the BBC. | The Darfur peace talks should go ahead in Libya this weekend in spite of rebel boycotts, Sudan's representative to the United Nations has told the BBC. |
| Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad said the peace process for Sudan cannot be held to ransom by the rebel factions. | Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad said the peace process for Sudan cannot be held to ransom by the rebel factions. |
| At least seven Darfuri groups say they will not attend because their request to be given more time to form a common position has been ignored. | At least seven Darfuri groups say they will not attend because their request to be given more time to form a common position has been ignored. |
| UN chief Ban Ki-moon is due to brief the UN Security Council on the matter. | UN chief Ban Ki-moon is due to brief the UN Security Council on the matter. |
| The UN secretary general will also update diplomats on the deployment of peacekeepers to Darfur. | The UN secretary general will also update diplomats on the deployment of peacekeepers to Darfur. |
| The African Union says the hybrid UN-AU 26,000-strong peace force being set up for Darfur now has commitments for 90% of the manpower needed, but lacks helicopters and trucks. | The African Union says the hybrid UN-AU 26,000-strong peace force being set up for Darfur now has commitments for 90% of the manpower needed, but lacks helicopters and trucks. |
| It is not fair to wait for everybody to board the train Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem MohamadSudan's representative to the UN | It is not fair to wait for everybody to board the train Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem MohamadSudan's representative to the UN |
| Briefing the AU peace and security council, the force's deputy commander, Gen Henry Anyidoho, said the bulk of the force will be African, as Sudan demanded, with Thailand being the only non-African country to offer soldiers. | Briefing the AU peace and security council, the force's deputy commander, Gen Henry Anyidoho, said the bulk of the force will be African, as Sudan demanded, with Thailand being the only non-African country to offer soldiers. |
| Egypt and Ethiopia, Mali and Malawi, Senegal, Ghana and Burkina Faso have each offered a battalion apiece but the Sudanese government has yet to approve. | Egypt and Ethiopia, Mali and Malawi, Senegal, Ghana and Burkina Faso have each offered a battalion apiece but the Sudanese government has yet to approve. |
| Some 200,000 people have died in the four-and-a-half year conflict and an estimated two million people have fled their homes. | Some 200,000 people have died in the four-and-a-half year conflict and an estimated two million people have fled their homes. |
| Common position | Common position |
| Mr Abdalmahmood said the Libya talks should proceed as planned. | |
| "It is not fair to wait for everybody to board the train," he told the BBC's Network Africa. | "It is not fair to wait for everybody to board the train," he told the BBC's Network Africa. |
| But at least seven groups are now refusing to attend. | But at least seven groups are now refusing to attend. |
| The Justice and Equality Movement has posted a strongly worded message on its website saying that, after discussions with other rebel movements, it has decided to boycott the talks. | The Justice and Equality Movement has posted a strongly worded message on its website saying that, after discussions with other rebel movements, it has decided to boycott the talks. |
| They had been holding talks in Sudan's southern city of Juba with other groups in an attempt to find a common position. | They had been holding talks in Sudan's southern city of Juba with other groups in an attempt to find a common position. |
| On Tuesday, Ahmed Abdel Shafie - leader of a Sudan Liberation Movement splinter group which represents the Fur tribe - said he would not attend because he said the atmosphere was not "conducive" to success. | On Tuesday, Ahmed Abdel Shafie - leader of a Sudan Liberation Movement splinter group which represents the Fur tribe - said he would not attend because he said the atmosphere was not "conducive" to success. |
| The other key rebel who represents the Fur, Abdul Wahed al-Nur, had said from the outset that he would not attend. | The other key rebel who represents the Fur, Abdul Wahed al-Nur, had said from the outset that he would not attend. |
| Five other smaller factions are also refusing to participate. | Five other smaller factions are also refusing to participate. |
| Peace talks in 2006 failed to end the conflict which Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi - the host of the talks - has likened to a "quarrel over a camel" that has become an international issue | Peace talks in 2006 failed to end the conflict which Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi - the host of the talks - has likened to a "quarrel over a camel" that has become an international issue |