The UN chief mediator said yesterday that Darfur peace negotiations in Libya would most likely be put on hold to allow for more time for the war-torn region's splintered rebels to regroup and reach a common position for the conference.
Jan Eliasson, the chief US envoy for a joint UN and African Union (AU) mediation team, would not say when the talks, which opened on Saturday, would adjourn, but stressed the step was necessary to allow for full-fledged negotiations between the rebels and the Sudanese government.
No major Darfur rebel chief was present in the Libyan coastal town of Sirte for the opening of the talks on Saturday, dashing hopes a quick peace agreement could be reached to end over four years of fighting with the Sudanese government.
Eliasson said more chiefs were expected to arrive in Sirte to prepare for the negotiations. Other rebel leaders want to hold their own preparatory meetings in Darfur.
The Sudanese government's delegation announced on Saturday a unilateral ceasefire.
UN officials were awaiting a notification yesterday from the rebels' absent leadership that it would abide by the ceasefire.
Niam called on the boycotting rebel leaders to join preparatory meetings so that a lasting peace could be achieved, warning otherwise against a repeat of the previous peace deal that signed in May last year to little avail.
Eliasson said he could not specify when the peace conference would adjourn, or when it would resume.
"We are pretty reluctant to set exact timelines," he said.
CALL FOR SUPPORT: President William Lai called on lawmakers across party lines to ensure the livelihood of Taiwanese and that national security is protected President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday called for bipartisan support for Taiwan’s investment in self-defense capabilities at the christening and launch of two coast guard vessels at CSBC Corp, Taiwan’s (台灣國際造船) shipyard in Kaohsiung. The Taipei (台北) is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels, and the Siraya (西拉雅) is the Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) first-ever ocean patrol vessel, the government said. The Taipei is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels with a displacement of about 4,000 tonnes, Lai said. This ship class was ordered as a result of former president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) 2018
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‘ADDITIONAL CONDITION’: Taiwan will work with like-minded countries to protect its right to participate in next year’s meeting, the foreign ministry said The US will “continue to press China for security arrangements and protocols that safeguard all participants when attending APEC meetings in China,” a US Department of State spokesperson said yesterday, after Beijing suggested that members must adhere to its “one China principle” to participate. “The United States insists on the full and equal participation of all APEC member economies — including Taiwan — consistent with APEC’s guidelines, rules and established practice, as affirmed by China in its offer to host in 2026,” the unnamed spokesperson said in response to media queries about China putting a “one China” principle condition on Taiwan’s
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