27 February 2010 / TODAY’S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL
The Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Turkey welcomes a cease-fire deal signed between the Sudanese government and the country’s largest rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).
In a written statement released on the ministry’s Web site, the ministry reiterated Turkey’s hope that the framework agreement would help end the seven-year conflict in the war-stricken Darfur region. “Turkey welcomes the signing of a framework agreement to end the conflict in Darfur between the Sudanese government and Darfur’s largest rebel group, JEM, in the presence of Sudan President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, President of Chad Idriss Deby and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani in Doha on Feb. 23,” the statement read, continuing that Turkey hoped the agreement would serve as an important step to encourage other rebel groups to take part in the peace process. The Sudanese government has come to terms with JEM officials after a year of internationally sponsored negotiations. The agreement raised hopes that the bloody seven-year conflict could soon draw to an end. Khartoum has agreed to a series of cease-fires during the seven-year conflict, but all the previous cease-fire were short-lived and thus unable to deliver concrete results.
