Military

DATE=12/17/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=DARFUR / TALKS (L-O)

NUMBER=2-321216

BYLINE= NICO COLOMBANT

DATELINE= ABIDJAN

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

HEADLINE: Darfur Mediators Say Region Could Explode

INTRO: A report presented at Sudan's Darfur peace talks in Nigeria says the region could soon explode. As VOA's Nico Colombant reports from our regional bureau in Abidjan, African Union, which sponsors the talks, warns the Sudanese government appears to be gearing up for a major offensive.

TEXT: The report released Friday says the quantity of arms being brought into Darfur by Sudanese army troops, pro-government militias and rebel groups is astronomical.

African Union cease-fire monitors who wrote the report also describe Darfur's situation as a time bomb ready to explode. They say there is massive looting and worrisome build-up of rival armed factions that could lead to what it calls retaliatory postures.

The A.U. peacekeepers say these cease-fire violations by all sides have had serious security implications over the past two weeks. The A.U. called on Khartoum to withdraw its newly deployed forces and on the rebels to stop blocking roads.

Government and rebel delegates who are attending the peace talks in Nigeria reported direct fighting in the south of Darfur Friday and accused each other of instigating the violence.

Government spokesman Majzoub Al-Khalifa tells VOA its military had stopped its operation to clear roadblocks, but was attacked and had to defend itself.

/// AL-KHALIFA ACT ///

"We have instructed our troops to stop the operation and they did with the exception that in one area where they stopped the operation and they were faced by attacks again this morning and so they responded to this attack themselves."

/// END ACT ///

African Union spokesman Assane Ba says holding peace talks while both sides continue to violate the cease-fire agreement is a waste of time.

/// BA ACT ///

"They agreed to stop the violence but they are not doing it. They are not helping the peace process. I mean we didn't come here to waste time. We came here to talk to see how we can achieve peace and it's up to the parties to achieve peace and to help us help them."

/// END ACT ///

The chief delegate for the rebel Justice and Equality Movement, Mohammed Ahmed Tugod, says he hopes the A.U. report will put added pressure on the government to stop its offensive.

/// TUGOD ACT ///

"We are in war now actually and this is not the reasonable climate that we can continue in the talks. But we are not going to withdraw or even saying to suspend it. We are here and we are asking the Sudanese government to stop immediately and to pull out all the troops to their original positions."

/// END ACT ///

Despite the setback, mediators say they are still hoping to discuss peace proposals that would give more autonomy and a bigger share of oil wealth to the Darfur region.

The 22-month conflict pitting mainly black African rebels against the Arab-led government in Khartoum has been described as the world's worst humanitarian catastrophe by the United Nations. (SIGNED)

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