US envoy reaches out to Sudanese army chief ahead of Geneva talks

August 2, 2024 (Addis Ababa) – The US envoy to Sudan revealed that he had contact with Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the chairman of Sudan’s Sovereign Council and the leader of the army, two months before calling for Geneva talks on a humanitarian ceasefire.

Tom Perillo, at a press conference in Addis Ababa, detailed ongoing efforts to organize talks between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Geneva on August 14.

Responding to a query from Sudan Tribune about General Burhan’s request for consultations, Special Envoy Perillo confirmed that dialogue was ongoing with the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as well as the wider Sudanese community.

Perillo confirmed Burhan’s interest in talks, saying: “We are very happy that he contacted us about two months ago… We will continue to maintain communication… This has been very important for us over these months.”

“We welcome General Burhan’s expressed interest in consultations on the upcoming peace talks,” Perillo said. “We have been and will continue to offer both in-person and virtual consultations, prioritizing a collaborative approach with all stakeholders. Our goal is to deepen these consultations while advancing the peace process.”

Perillo also addressed a canceled meeting with Sudanese military leaders in Port Sudan, saying: “We recently tried to arrange a trip… We worked closely with the Sudanese… The Sudanese Armed Forces told us that they were not willing to come to the airport to pick us up. We respect their decision.”

Perillo expressed concern about the assassination attempt against Burhan and reiterated the U.S. commitment to peace talks.

The Special Envoy outlined the three goals of the peace initiative: a nationwide cessation of violence, comprehensive humanitarian assistance to all 18 countries, and the establishment of mechanisms to monitor and enforce the first two points.

“Our goal and aspiration is to achieve these three goals,” Perillo said. “We will take every opportunity to make even a small step toward these goals.”

(English stone)