KHARTOUM, Jul 13, 2005 (Xinhua via COMTEX)
- The new Sudanese national unity government vowed here on Wednesday to reach a peace deal to end the conflict in western region of Darfur during the next round of negotiations with the Darfur rebel groups.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, First Vice President John Garang and Second Vice President Ali Othman Mohemmed Taha, who were sworn in last Saturday, agreed to seek a political solution to the conflict and ordered prompt preparation for the talks.
They also agreed at a meeting that Taha will take charge of the peace talks, the head of the Sudanese government's delegation Majzoub al-Khalifa told the Sudan News Agency.
On July 5, delegations of the Sudanese government and two Darfur rebel groups signed a declaration of principles as the basis of a peaceful solution to the conflict.
The peace negotiations will resume on Aug. 24 in the Nigerian capital Abuja.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed and more than a million fled their homes since rebels took up arms against the government in February 2003, accusing Khartoum of neglect.