DATE=5/4/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-230679
TITLE=SUDAN PEACE TALKS (L)
BYLINE=CAROL PINEAU
DATELINE=NAIROBI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: NEW PEACE TALKS FOR SUDAN OPENED IN NAIROBI MONDAY. WHILE
ALL PARTIES WERE PRESENT, FEW WERE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE OUTCOME.
NEVERTHELESS, CAROL PINEAU REPORTS FROM OUR NAIROBI BUREAU THE
TALKS ARE BEING SEEN AS A STEP TOWARDS PEACE.
TEXT: IN A CONFERENCE ROOM AT THE KENYATTA INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE HALL IN NAIROBI, THE MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE SUDAN PEACE
TALKS CAME FACE-TO-FACE. THE TWO SIDES LAST MET IN NOVEMBER.
THOSE TALKS ENDED INCONCLUSIVELY.
THE "SUDANESE PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY," THE "S-P-L-A," FROM THE
CHRISTIAN AND ANIMIST SOUTH OF THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN FIGHTING THE
ARAB-ISLAMIC GOVERNMENT IN KHARTOUM FOR 15 YEARS. THE WAR HAS
LEFT OVER ONE-AND-A-HALF MILLION DEAD, THOUSANDS DISPLACED, AND
MOST RECENTLY, 350-THOUSAND AT RISK OF STARVATION.
THE KHARTOUM DELEGATION IS HEADED BY FOREIGN MINISTER MUSTAFA
OSMAN ISMAIL. THE S-P-L-A TEAM IS LED BY NHIAL DENG NHIAL -- A
SENIOR OFFICIAL AND GOVERNOR OF THE S-P-L-A-HELD REGION OF BAHR
EL GHAZAL.
THE TALKS ARE BEING HELD UNDER THE AUSPICES OF WHAT'S CALLED THE
INTER-GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY ON DEVELOPMENT, OR "IGAD." THE
CHAIR IS KENYAN FOREIGN MINISTER BONAYA GODANA. HE SAYS THE
SPECIAL ENVOYS' RECENT REPORTS TO IGAD WERE NOT OPTIMISTIC. HE
CALLS IT UNFORTUNATE THAT THE TWO SIDES HAVE NOT YET BRIDGED THE
GAP THAT CLOSED THE LAST ROUND OF MEETINGS. MR. GODANA HOPES
BOTH SIDES FIND A WAY FORWARD.
/// GODANA ACT ///
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE IMPRESS UPON THE PARTIES
CONCERNED THAT AN URGENT SOLUTION IS REQUIRED,
ESPECIALLY, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE OF SOUTHERN SUDAN WHO
HAVE FOR A LONG TIME SUFFERED, ARE NOW FACED WITH AN
UNPRECEDENTED FAMINE, DUE TO THE RAVAGES OF WAR.
/// END ACT ///
MR. GODANA REMINDS THE PARTIES OF THE STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES
AGREED TO IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS. THOSE INCLUDE FREEDOM OF
RELIGION AND SEPARATION OF RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS FROM THE STATE.
HE SAYS ANYTHING OUTSIDE THESE AGREEMENTS WILL HAVE NO PLACE IN
THESE TALKS.
THE S-P-L-A'S NHIAL DENG NHAIL SAYS HE'S OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE
TALKS, OTHERWISE HE SAYS HIS PARTY WOULD NOT HAVE COME. BUT HE
ADDS PEACE DEPENDS ON WHAT THE OTHER PARTY COMES UP WITH. HE
ACCUSES THE KHARTOUM GOVERNMENT OF WORSENING THE FOOD SHORTAGE
CRISIS IN SOUTHERN SUDAN. MR. NHIAL SAYS THE RECENT GOVERNMENT
AUTHORIZATION OF INCREASED FOOD-AID FLIGHTS WAS TOO LITTLE, TOO
LATE.
/// NHIAL ACT ///
THEY HAVE BEEN USING FOOD ESSENTIALLY AS A WEAPON. THEY
ARE JUST DOING THIS AS A PUBLIC RELATIONS EXERCISE, BUT
THEY DO NOT HAVE THE INTEREST OF THE STARVING SOUTHERN
SUDAN POPULATION AT HEART AT ALL.
///END ACT///
BUT MR. NHIAL SAYS EVEN AGAINST THIS BACKDROP, YOU CAN NEVER GIVE
UP ON PEACE. HE BELIEVES THE WAR IN SUDAN WILL EVENTUALLY END
WITH A PEACEFUL DOCUMENT BEING SIGNED BY BOTH PARTIES. (SIGNED)
NEB/CP/PCF/PLM
04-May-98 2:24 PM EDT (1824 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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