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Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Darfur administrative referendum is not contradictory with Doha Negotiations
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Mar 15, 2011 - 6:39:03 AM

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Darfur administrative referendum is not contradictory with Doha Negotiations

 

Khartoum, March 14 (SUNA) - The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Rahmatalla Mohamed Osman, gave briefing Monday to the ambassadors of African, Asian and European Groups on the developments and situation in Darfur

 

He referred to the procedures underway to prepare for the referendum in the three states of Darfur on the the administrative pattern to be adopted in these states or to return to the method of one region

 

Osman said that the referendum in Darfur comes in implementation of the article 55 of Abuja Peace Agreement on Darfur, which was signed in 2006, that stipulated holding of a referendum after 12 months since the general elections, explaining that the general elections were held in April 2010 and the referendum is expected to be in April 2011

 

He stated that the National Elections Commission was the only organ concerned assigned with holding the referendum , Osman affirmed that the referendum will be monitored by international observers in accordance with the of Darfur peace agreement which was signed in Abuja

 

The Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs stated that the referendum is not contradictory with Doha negotiation forum as the mediators were informed about that and they accepted it

 

He said that if the people of Darfur chose the one region option then that will satisfy the desire of Darfur rebel movements who are now negotiating in Doha, and if they chose the other option the desire of Darfur citizens must be respected

 

Osman stressed that the referendum would not cancel out the arrangements of Darfurian - Darfurian dialogue under patronage of the African Union represented in the chairman of the AU Panel on Darfur, Thabo Mbeki, who is sponsoring the dialogue, adding that there is coordination with Mbeki on this issue

 

BH/MO



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