Khartoum talks fail to meet UN Security Council deadline: Sudan is now in violation of international law

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's veteran troubleshooter Lakhdar Brahimi and UN peacekeeping chief Hedi Annabi began talks in Khartoum on Tuesday to break the deadlock but, as the UN Security Council deadline expired on Wednesday, no agreement was reached, Reuters reported today:

"The assessment mission is still not decided upon by the government of Sudan," said presidential advisor Majzoub al-Khalifa after his meeting with Brahimi and Annabi. The UN resolution was passed under chapter seven meaning Sudan was now in violation of international law.

Khalifa said the political dialogue with the UN had to deal with the mandate of any UN troops before allowing the assessment mission to enter.

After two days of meeting government officials, Brahimi said the talks had been "very good" and a "joint vision" had been agreed. He declined to immediately elaborate.

UN spokesman Bahaa Elkoussy said talks were ongoing and that Brahimi was "optimistic".

Brahimi will meet President al-Bashir on Thursday evening but has not been given a meeting time as yet with key player Vice President Ali Taha who instead left the country on Wednesday for talks in Eritrea.

Khalifa, head of the government talks team, said he expected the outcome of the discussions with Brahimi to be "very positive," but declined to elaborate.

Brahimi is due to leave Sudan on Friday morning.

Photo: Janjaweed leader Sheikh Musa Hilal, a Sudanese chief who heads Darfur's largest Arab tribe, is seen inside a small shop in Mistariha, Sudan, May 23, 2006. (Reuters/STR)

May 24 2006 IRIN report: Gov't under pressure to accept UN peacekeepers