Sudan expects peace accord soon

[United Press International]

CAIRO, May 9 (UPI) -- The Sudanese government said Sunday it
expects to sign a peace accord within two weeks with the rebel Sudan
People's Liberation Army.
Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail told a news
conference in Cairo most of the obstacles have been removed and
negotiators were "seeking to sign an agreement in the next week or
two."
Peace delegations from the Sudanese government and the SPLA
have been negotiating a settlement for the past year in Kenya. Those
talks, so far, have failed to produce a peace accord to end the
civil strife that has lasted for more than 20 years.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Arab foreign ministers
meeting in Cairo, Ismail also denied genocide against the African
tribe population was taking place in Darfour in western Sudan by
Arab militias supported by the government.
The minister accused the United States of "promoting such
fabricated reports against the Sudanese government," and insisted
his country was fighting "against the rebels" in Darfour.
He said: "War is war. They started, and they will be
accountable."