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July 30, 2024 (Port Sudan) – Sudan’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday listed the conditions for participating in the US-backed peace talks in Switzerland next August, including prior consultations on the agenda and who can attend.
The ministry was responding to a US invitation to Sudanese army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to hold talks in Geneva starting on August 14, with Saudi Arabia as co-host.
The talks will be overseen by the United Nations, the African Union, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.
Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said any talks would have to be preceded by consultations with the Sudanese government on the agenda and participants. It also called on Sudan to hold direct talks with the United States to prepare for negotiations.
Sudan’s foreign ministry further said: “Any negotiations before the implementation of the Jeddah Declaration, which provides for a total withdrawal of troops and a halt to expansion, will not be accepted by the Sudanese people.” He was referring to an agreement reached in Saudi Arabia in May between the warring parties to protect civilians and facilitate the delivery of aid.
The Ministry of Defense said the Rapid Support Forces must be forced to withdraw from the town and stop attacks on civilians as a prerequisite for any peace talks.
Sudanese officials have also expressed opposition to the UAE’s involvement in the talks, saying it supports paramilitary forces.
The Geneva talks, which the State Department said are aimed at achieving a comprehensive ceasefire and establishing a monitoring mechanism to ensure its implementation, will build on negotiations in Jeddah late last year that stalled after the two sides failed to implement confidence-building measures.
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