June 1, 2011 (DOHA) — Sudanese government and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) will sign a peace agreement within three weeks, the two parties said one day after the adoption of a framework document for peace in Darfur by the Darfur stakeholder conference.

Presidential adviser Ghazi Salah Al-Deen, left, and LJM leader El-Tijani El-Sissi sign the ceasefire and framework agreement in Doha Thursday March 18, 2010 (AP)

Over 500 delegates from Darfur region representing the internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, civil society groups and tribal leaders on Tuesday endorsed a peace document that can serve as basis for any peace agreement between the government and rebel groups.

The Joint Chief Mediator Djibril Bassolé said this approach allows to surmount the divisions of rebel groups which can sign bilateral agreements with the central government without abrogating or contradicting each others.

The Khartoum government and LJM rebels have been negotiating a peace deal since March 2010 to end the eight year conflict but still diverge over security arrangements and the appointment of a vice-president from the region. Also the group demands to cancel a referendum on Darfur’s administrative status.

"Within two or three weeks a peace agreement should be signed (with the government), however we did not yet agree with mediation on the date of signing," said Tijani El-Sissi in an interview with Sudan Tribune and Radio Dabanga today in Doha.

He also said they are expecting to soon reach a compromise with the government over the two outstanding issues besides the referendum.

Further the government’s top negotiator Amin Hassan Omer indicated in a separate interview that they expect to affix their signatures on a preliminary agreement within a week and to hand it to the mediation which will determine the date of the signing ceremony.

In accordance with the peace document endorsed by the stakeholders, a vice-president from Darfur should be appointed by the president of the republic. Amin Hassan Omer told the stakeholders conference that the government accepts to appoint a deputy president from the restive region.

El-Sissi said they are discussing with the government on the criteria according to which this vice-president would be selected. He further said if the latter is appointed by the president this would be a permanent dividend of peace for Darfur but if he is elected this will be another issue.

Amin, for his part, stressed that only the president will choose who will be his deputy and nobody else. He also disclosed that the rebel groups request to appoint someone from their ranks but said that the government rejects such demand.

"The fact that we accepted the representation of Darfur people at the level of the vice-president should not conduct us to another demand: the allocation of this post to the rebel groups," he said.

The Sudanese government negotiator said it is not in the interest of peace to appoint someone from the rebel groups, the ruling National Congress Party or the other political forces.

"The most important that he should be from Darfur because they believe he will take care of the interests of Darfur region."

Since last April Sudan said a referendum on Darfur status should be held in line with the Abuja peace deal of 2006. The government announced that the vote will be organized in July.

El-Sissi ruled out the organization of the referendum during the announced period saying it would not be possible to hold the vote during July due to the start of the rainy season.

Amin admitted the referendum would be delayed after the signing of a peace agreement. He however he pointed out they demand to hold this vote before the adoption of the permanent constitution and not after.

(ST)