Sudanese gov't denies receiving invitation for new round of talks with rebels

he Sudanese government on Tuesday denied it has received an invitation from African Union (AU) mediators to convene a new round of talks with the rebels.

Ahmed Bilal Osman, Sudan's information minister and government spokesman, denied any AU invitation for a strategic consultative meeting with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM)/northern sector, the Darfur armed movements and the National Umma Party.

The minister reiterated that Sudan is ready for the meeting if invited within the context of the negotiation.

Earlier on Monday, the SPLM/northern sector said it received invitation from the AU to convene a consultative meeting in mid-March.

It said the invitation included the Sudanese government, the SPLM/northern sector, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM)/Minni Minnawi faction, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the National Umma Party.

The Sudanese government has been fighting armed rebel groups in Darfur region since 2003, while South Kordofan and Blue Nile have been witnessing armed clashes between the Sudanese army and the SPLM/northern sector rebels since 2011.

So far 10 rounds of peace talks have been held in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa between the Sudanese government and the SPLM/northern sector, under the patronage of the African Union, but have failed to end the conflict in the two areas.

Peace talks between the Sudanese government and the Darfur armed movements have also failed to reach a cessation of hostilities. Endit