USA: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urges parties in Darfur conflict to take advantage of opportunities for peace

Record ID: 872816

  • Title: USA: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urges parties in Darfur conflict to take advantage of opportunities for peace
  • Date: 4th May 2006
  • Summary: (AM) WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (MAY 3, 2006) (REUTERS) WIDE OF U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE WITH JAPAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER TARO ASO. CLOSE UP OF TARO ASO CLOSE UP OF RICE RICE AND ASO SHAKING HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (English) CONDOLEEZZA RICE, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, SAYING: "We are continuing to press to make things work. Bob Zoellick, as you know is there. I have received some reporting from him overnight and they are working very hard. I hope the parties will take this opportunity to get a peace agreement and lay a foundation for which the violence can end so the people of Darfur can be safe and live in peace." WIDE OF RICE AND ASO
  • Embargoed: 19th May 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAA4VHJBQREXT7NRZE5S885HV9D
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: U.S. diplomats tried on Wednesday (May 3) to extract concessions from the government of Sudan that could persuade rebels from the Darfur region to sign up to a draft peace agreement designed to end three years of war.
    The government has accepted the deal on security, power-sharing and wealth-sharing proposed by African Union (AU) mediators, but three Darfur rebel factions refuse to sign, citing objections on a wide range of issues.
    U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick held a second round of talks with the government delegation on Wednesday. Zoellick arrived on Tuesday in the Nigerian capital Abuja, venue of the talks, as Washington increased pressure for a deal.
    The U.S. delegation noted progress in the talks. "From what we've seen the parties do seem to want to reach an agreement," said Richard Mills, a spokesman for Zoellick.
    U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she had heard from Zoellick and all sides were working very hard in Abuja to get a peace deal.
    "I hope the parties will take this opportunity to get a peace agreement and lay a foundation on which the violence can end and so the people of Darfur can be safe and live in peace," said Rice in brief comments to reporters in Washington before a meeting with Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Aso.
    The talks, in their seventh round, have dragged on for two years while violence in Darfur has worsened. Two deadlines have come and gone since Sunday without an agreement and the AU has set a new deadline on Thursday night.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register