Sudan and Rebels agree on peace deal

Sudanese government and rebel negotiators today resolved differences that delayed the signing of a deal on a permanent ceasefire and endorsement of a plan to end a 21 year civil.

The adversaries have agreed on the funding for a separate army that rebels plan to maintain in southern Sudan as a security guarantee during the six- year transition period, said Yasir Arman, spokesman of the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army.

The rebels were pushing the government to fund the force, but Sudanese officials had refused because the military unit will not be part of the new national army.

The differences were overcome at the last-minute talks between Sudanese Vice president Ali Osman Mohammed Taha and southern rebel leader John Garang.

“I was with Dr Garang, everything is finished,” Arman said. He refused to give additional details.

The development clears the way for the warring sides to sign a permanent ceasefire deal today and endorse a plan to implement a series of protocols they signed since the latest round of peace talks began in Kenya in 2002.