UNION AFRICAINE


UNIأO AFRICANA
Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA P. O. Box 3243 Tel : (251-11) 551 3822 Fax : 551 9321
Email: [email protected] website : www. africa-union.org

PRESS RELEASE No. 5

7TH ROUND OF THE INTER-SUDANESE PEACE TALKS ON THE CRISIS IN DARFUR

Negotiations on Power Sharing Continues

After two days of intensive consultations with all the Parties concerned as well as with the Co-Mediators, the Facilitators and International Partners on Item 4 of its Agenda – Federal System, All Levels of Governance and Their Competences – the Commission on Power Sharing resumed its work late this Monday evening 5 December 2005, under the Chairmanship of Ambassador Berhanu Dinka, Coordinator of the Commission, and in the presence of Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, AU Special Envoy and Chief Mediator.

At the meeting, the proposals jointly put forward by the SLM/A and JEM last Friday, and the response thereto by the GoS were thoroughly discussed. This was followed by lively and constructive exchange of views by the Parties and the International Partners.

In light of these discussions, it was agreed to continue consultations so as to ascertain the points of convergence on the basis of the presentations made by the Parties. Thereafter, the Mediation will work out and present a compromise proposal.

Finally, following an appeal by the AU Special Envoy and Chief Mediator, the Parties, while recognizing the important role of the media, agreed to enhance coordination between their respective spokespersons and the official spokesperson of the AU Mediation with a view to avoiding any statement that could undermine this critical phase of the peace process.

Abuja, 5 December 2005