Darfur factions sign ceasefire deal
Representatives of Darfur’s local administration have signed an agreement in Libya with two main Sudanese rebel groups to adhere to a ceasefire.
The talks on Wednesday between Darfur‘s local administration, the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement also agreed on facilitating the passage of international aid convoys and trade in the area.
The declaration was read out and signed in the presence of Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi during his meeting with the participants in Tripoli.
The parties discussed security, human and social situations in Darfur and ways and means to ensure peaceful coexistence.
Head of the civil leadership in Darfur, Salah Muhammad al-Fadhl, told Aljazeera’s correspondent in Libya that “the agreement is aimed at reaching a full and permanent peace in Darfur“.
“We have urged all parties, particularly armed groups, and our brethrens at the government to speed up holding talks to settle pending political issues,” he added.
Darfur summit
Wednesday’s declaration comes just five days before Libya hosts a five-party summit to discuss developments in Darfur.
Gaddafi announced on Wednesday that the summit would be held in Tripoli on Monday.
Attending the summit, which was originally scheduled to take place on Sunday and Monday in the Egyptian resort of Sharm al-Shaikh, will be the heads of state of Sudan, Egypt, Libya, Nigeria and Chad.
The announcement comes after Gaddafi, who has sought to mediate in the Darfur conflict, received a pledge from tribal leaders in the region that they would work towards reconciliation.
No reason was given for the change in timing and location of the summit, which had already been postponed from late April when it was to be held alongside the New Partnership for Africa‘s Development summit in Sharm al-Shaikh.
Continued fighting between allegedly government-backed Arab militias and African rebel groups in Darfur has displaced close to two million people and killed more than 180,000 since 2003.
No handover
Meanwhile, Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir, speaking to Aljazeera’s correspondent in Khartoum, has confirmed his government’s determination not to hand any Sudanese over to the International Criminal Court.
Al-Bashir said he was ready to confront the US and the international community in this respect – “even they came close to the gates of Khartoum”, as he put it.
On the question of opposition Popular Congress Party chief Hasan al-Turabi’s fate, he said he had not taken a decision to free him.
But he indicated that such a step might be taken before 9 July.