Government suspends peace talks

The Sudanese government on Monday suspended peace talks with southern rebels in protest over an attack on a key government garrison town in the south, news agencies reported. "The Sudanese delegation to the Kenya talks will suspend the talks as of today because of the atmosphere created by the military operations and the occupation of Torit town," Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Uthman Isma'il was quoted as saying by the Associated Press (AP). "When we are convinced that the rebel movement is serious about continuing toward peace and achieving a peace settlement, then the situation will change," he said, after meeting his Egyptian counterpart Ahmad Maher in Cairo on Monday. The rebel SPLM/A were unavailable for comment. A statement from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) on Sunday said rebel forces had taken control of the strategic town of Torit, Eastern Equatoria, in a counter-attack after government forces had been ordered to advance from Torit. "SPLA forces of the 2nd front are now in full control of Torit," SPLM/A spokesman Samson Kwaje said in the statement. The official spokesman of the Sudanese armed forces, Maj-Gen Muhammad Bashir Sulayman was quoted as saying by the 'Khartoum Monitor' that government forces had "tactically withdrawn" from Torit in order to regroup outside the town. According to Sulayman, however, SPLM/A forces had shelled Torit for two days, reflecting a "lack of seriousness" in the Sudanese peace process. "It is now clear that the rebels have no intention to negotiate peace with the government forces," Sulayman said on Sunday. Negotiations between government and rebel representatives to work out the details of a peace deal have been underway in the Kenyan town of Machakos under the auspices of the regional Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD). While a framework deal agreed in July had raised hopes that negotiators may be able to finally bring an end to Sudan's 19-year civil war, agreement has not yet been reached on the modalities of a comprehensive ceasefire, the sharing of power and wealth, security arrangements and the geographic definition of the south. The current round of talks, which began on August, was due to continue until mid-September. "The SPLM/A reiterates its commitment to the IGAD peace process and will not be derailed from the pursuit of peace," the SPLM/A statement, released before the suspension of talks, said. "However, we also reserve the right to take pre-emptive action in order to protect the civilian population in areas under our control and to defend our positions."