Sudan says "external influences" on SPLM-N made negotiations fail

[Elisabeth Janaina]

Sudan says "external influences" on SPLM-N made negotiations fail

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June 1, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government attributed the
collapse of the recent round of negotiations with the Sudan People
Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) in Ethiopia last month to "external
influences" exerted on the rebel side.

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Member of Sudan delegation to talks with SPLM-N, Hussein Hamdi (Ashorooq TV)

These pressures, according to Sudan’s negotiating delegation Hussein
Hamdi, impacted the rebels strategy in the talks to seek goals that
were irrelevant to resolving the conflict in the border states of Blue
Nile and South Kordofan.

"I can say that there are external influences which have made the
rebel delegation lacking decision, flexibility, and will" Hamdi said,
adding that the government delegation acted in accordance with the
strategic objective and the methodology and ethics of negotiating for
peace.

The SPLM-N on the other hand, he said, dealt in a tactical manner to
maneuver and not to negotiable.

Last April, the first round of talks between the SPLM-N and the
Sudanese government since 2011 in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa
under the auspices of the African Union (AU) has adjourned without
success in achieving any breakthrough.

Speaking on pro-government Ashorooq TV, Hamdi said that they sensed
threats from SPLM-N Secretary General Yasser Arman in Addis Ababa that
if they don’t reach an agreement, they will march all the way to
Khartoum.

"We deal with threats seriously whether it is with the South [Sudan]
or our internal institutions" he said.

He stated that the composition of the rebel delegation was centered
around Arman saying that he blames those who authorized him to talk on
their behalf".

Hamdi stressed that the government delegation was flexible and that
positive results could have been reached if the other party responded
to it.

The Sudanese official went on to say that Khartoum has great
confidence in the African mediation team led by Thabo Mbeki to lead
the negotiations.

He explained that last month’s attack on Abu-Kershola by the rebels of
the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) was for the purpose of
"psychological recovery" that came in the wake of signing of the
implementation matrix with South Sudan which created confusion and
fear within the rebel ranks.

Hamdi further said that target of the attack was to incite hatred
within the components of society in South Kordofan that "will not add
anything to them [rebels]".

SRF is an alliance between Sudanese factions opposed to the government
led by president Omer Hassan al-Bashir. It was declared on 12 November
2011, following several months of support by Darfuri rebel groups for
the SPLM-N in its conflict with Khartoum.

The alliance brings together the two main factions of the Sudan
Liberation Movement/Army, as well as the other major rebel group in
Darfur, the Justice and Equality Movement, and the SPLM-N.

(ST)