January 29, 2013 (KHARTOUM) - Malik Agar, leader of the Sudan people’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) has announced his group’s readiness to negotiate a humanitarian agreement allowing access to the civilians in rebel-held areas, stressing such a deal will create a conducive environment for comprehensive political talks.

The rebel group, which fights the Sudanese government army in South Kordofan and Blue Nile, has already announced its willingness to sign a cessation of hostilities agreement with Khartoum, aiming to facilitate the distribution of humanitarian assistance in the rebel-held zones in the two states.

In press statements from Addis Ababa on Tuesday, Agar said they had travelled to the Ethiopian capital at the request of African Union (AU) chief mediator Thabo Mbeki to discuss the implementation of UN resolution 2046 which provides to hold talks on humanitarian access and political settlement based on the framework agreement of 28 June 2011.

In a meeting held on 25 January, the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) demanded Mbeki call on Khartoum and the SPLM-N to engage in direct talks before 15 February to work "towards a political resolution of the conflict".

"We in the SPLM-N are ready - yesterday, today and tomorrow - to sit down with Khartoum to discuss ways to channel food for the displaced," he said.

He also announced the movement’s readiness to cease hostilities to allow delivery of humanitarian assistance to the needy, stressing that this would create a conducive environment for negotiations aiming to resolve the "Sudanese problem".

Agar, who also heads the rebel alliance Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF), called for a just and comprehensive solution. He reaffirmed that he does not believe in partial solutions for the Sudanese issue, asserting "Partial solutions hurt Sudan".

He also called for mediation forums in Doha and Addis Ababa to be unified, saying opposition forces should be included in talks with the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

Earlier this month, rebel groups and opposition forces signed an agreement aiming to overthrow the regime by political and military means.

The ’New Dawn’ charter also aims to establish a democratic and secular state in Sudan, but some opposition parties are demanding further discussions.

Speaking about the charter they signed on 5 January in the Ugandan capital Kampala, he said "We are seeking seriously to unify the Sudanese opposition not only of the war, but to find appropriate solutions for Sudan’s problems".

He also welcomed any other propositions aiming to bring a comprehensive solution to crises in Sudan, underlining that the ’New Dawn’ charter can be reviewed and improved

(ST)