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Talks for Darfur 'must go ahead' Darfur peace talks under threat
(about 9 hours 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 African Union admits there has been another blow to planned talks on Sudan's war-torn Darfur region.
Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad said the peace process for Sudan cannot be held to ransom by the rebel factions. The Justice and Equality Movement (Jem) has joined at least six other rebel groups in announcing they will boycott talks due this weekend in Libya.
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. But the AU's chief mediator told the BBC that they could not afford to be pessimistic and so far the talks would go ahead as scheduled.
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. Before Jem's announcement, Sudan's permanent representative to the United Nations, Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad, said the peace process could not be held to ransom by the rebel factions.
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," he told the BBC's Network Africa programme.
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.
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.
'Fatal blow' 'Masquerade'
Mr Abdalmahmood said the Libya talks should proceed as planned. The African Union's chief mediator, Salim Ahmed Salim, said every effort would still be made to have talks with all the rebel groups.
"It is not fair to wait for everybody to board the train," he told the BBC's Network Africa. class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7039360.stm">Who are the Darfur rebels?
But at least seven groups are now refusing to attend. "Everything that has been done will be tried as much as possible to consult them and to consult not only them but also consult the stakeholders, other stakeholders, the civil societies, the tribal groups and so on," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.
The Justice and Equality Movement (Jem) has posted a strongly worded message on its website saying that, after discussions with other rebel movements, it has decided to boycott the talks. "Neither the African Union or the United Nations is going to impose what sort of peace should be, there in Darfur. It is through the negotiations, through the consultations that we'd be able to evolve an agreement which would really have the direction towards peace in Darfur."
They had been holding talks in Sudan's southern city of Juba with other groups in an attempt to find a common position. On its website, Jem said that it was "not ready to take part in the masquerade".
The BBC's Africa editor Martin Plaut says Jem's decision is possibly a fatal blow to the already troubled talks.The BBC's Africa editor Martin Plaut says Jem's decision is possibly a fatal blow to the already troubled talks.
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. 'Camel quarrel'
The other key rebel who represents the Fur, Abdul Wahed al-Nur, had said from the outset that he would not attend. On Tuesday, Ahmed Abdel Shafi - 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.
Five other smaller factions are also refusing to participate. The other key rebel who represents the Fur, Abdel Wahid al-Nur, had said from the outset that he would not attend.
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 upcoming meeting - has likened to a "quarrel over a camel" that has become an international issue.
Meanwhile at the UN Security Council meeting, Mr Ban 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.
Briefing the AU peace and security council on Tuesday, 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.