SUDAN: US, UN hail peace deal

NAIROBI, 23 July 2002 (IRIN) - The United States and the United Nations have both hailed a framework peace deal signed between the Sudanese government and southern rebels in the Kenya town of Machakos on Saturday. "The signing of the Machakos Protocol by the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement is a significant step in moving towards a just and lasting peace," US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told a news briefing. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who met Sudanese President Umar Hasan al-Bashir in Khartoum earlier this month, welcomed the progress made in the peace negotiations. In a statement released by spokesman Fred Eckhard, the Secretary-General expressed the hope "that the parties to the peace talks will be able to build on the momentum so that they can reach a definitive agreement in their next round". The talks have been taking place in Machakos, Kenya, under the auspices of the Sudan Peace Committee of the regional Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD). Negotiations are expected to resume in Kenya in August to reach agreement on remaining issues, including how best to distribute income from oil reserves, and arrangements for a comprehensive ceasefire. "The interim measure is a strong indication that the parties are both willing and capable of reaching a negotiated settlement to Sudan's civil war," Boucher said. The framework deal includes broad agreement on two of the most contentious issues that have faced negotiators working in Sudan: the right to self-determination for the south, and the relationship between state and religion. A referendum on self-determination for the south is planned after a six-year interim period, and the southern states have secured exemption from the imposition of Sharia'ah (Islamic) law. During the interim period, an independent assessment and evaluation commission will be established to monitor implementation of the agreement, which will include representatives of the Sudanese government, the SPLM/A, and observer states such as the US, Boucher said The agreement also provides for a pre-interim period of six months, during which the parties would cease hostilities, establish institutions and mechanisms agreed in the Protocol, implement mechanisms to monitor the peace agreement, and establish a constitutional framework in accordance with the peace agreement, he said. The accord was also broadly welcomed by analysts and aid agencies. "This is a great first step, but it is only a beginning in terms of the work that needs to be done," a regional analyst told IRIN. It was important, however, that the international community, and the US in particular, maintain pressure on the parties, and also bring on board other interested governments. The IGAD peace process, which started in 1993, has previously been criticised by many analysts and aid agencies for its failure to achieve tangible results. However, the process had become much more effective in recent months as a result of the closer involvement of observer countries, including the US, the UK and Norway, regional experts told IRIN. During his recent visit to Khartoum, Annan and Bashir discussed the IGAD peace process, and the importance of a peace deal for the improvement of humanitarian access to conflict-affected populations in the south. Annan said on Monday he was confident that "once a definitive peace agreement is reached, the international community will be ready to provide the necessary assistance for its full implementation."