E6 in Doha, Qatar: First meeting of P5 plus EU Envoys urged JEM and GOS to demonstrate their commitment to Darfur peace

Six envoys call on Sudan and Chad to exercise restraint
From Sudan Tribune, Friday, 29 May 2009 - excerpt:

Six international powers represented in Doha by their envoys to Sudan, called Wednesday for both Sudan and Chad to exercise restraint after the breach of the non-aggression agreement signed this month, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.

The six diplomats from China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, now labeled the “E6 Envoys,” were hosted by Qatar, which is playing a leading role in mediation between the Darfur rebel movements warring with the Government of Sudan.

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Qatar Urges Sudan Rivals For Compromise
From RTT News via ForexTV, Thursday, 28 May 2009 - excerpt:

According to Djibril Bassole, mediator for the U.N. and the African Union, envoys were trying to cobble a plan, which would include a timetable for reaching a peace deal, the complete cessation of hostilities and the sharing of wealth and land.

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Political process on Darfur in Doha: E6 meeting (May 27, 2009)
From French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs website:

Following their meeting in Doha on 27 May, E6 Envoys highlighted the following key points of agreement:

E6 Envoys collectively reiterated their strong support for the AU/UN led political process for Darfur and the sustained commitment by Joint Chief Mediator Bassole and the State of Qatar to find an enduring resolution to the problems of Darfur.

They expressed their sincere appreciation to the State of Qatar for convening this first meeting of P5 plus EU Envoys, and for the efforts of His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, aimed at reaching a peaceful solution to the problem.

E6 Envoys recognized the negative impact on the Darfur political process of the current escalation of tension between Sudan and Chad, recalled the 3 May Agreement, regretted that it was breached, and called on the Governments of both countries to exercise restraint.

E6 Envoys welcomed the resumption of talks between the GoS and JEM to complete the 17 February Agreement signed in Doha.

They jointly urged both parties to demonstrate their commitment to a peaceful future for the people of Darfur by showing maximum flexibility to resolve current areas of disagreement. They particularly underlined the need for continued efforts to address humanitarian needs in Darfur and other parts of Sudan.

E6 Envoys noted that resolving Darfur’s complex issues would involve input from all sectors of Darfuri society and reiterated their calls for all parties to urgently accept the invitation extended by the mediators and engage in an inclusive and comprehensive peace process.

E6 Envoys unanimously recognized the necessity to rapidly move towards a Cessation of Hostilities and final agreement for Darfur. Taking into account the timetable set out in the CPA they jointly expressed concern that the stability of Sudan and the region could be undermined by the continued lack of a final settlement for Darfur. They reiterated their commitment to facilitate the process in any way possible and agreed to meet as necessary in support of this.

Note: The five permanent members of the UN Security Council (P5) are: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States. The UN Security Council president for the current month of May is Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin.
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Talks on Darfur 'very positive'
From Macau Daily Times, Friday, 29 May 2009 - excerpt:

The Obama administration hailed talks by the US special envoy to Sudan in Beijing to discuss the Darfur region and a peace agreement between the African country's north and south.

Scott Gration "had very positive meetings" with China's special representative for Darfur Liu Guijin, a State Department spokesman, Karl Duckworth, told AFP in Washington.

"They discussed deepening US-China cooperation over shared concerns in Sudan," he added.

China's foreign ministry said Gration also met with Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jieyi.

Gration, a retired US Air Force general, participated in Doha on Wednesday in the first ever meeting of the Darfur envoys from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States) and the European Union, Duckworth said. [...]

As part of his tour, Gration will also visit Britain and France.

In London, Gration will attend the Contact Group on Sudan – composed of Canada, the European Union, France, Netherlands, Norway, Britain and the United States – which is following up on the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

The agreement ended a nearly 22-year civil war between Sudan's north and south that led to the deaths of around two million people.

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EU special Envoy to Sudan, Torben Brylle & Chinese special representative for African affairs, Liu Guijin



Photo: Chinese Special Envoy for Darfur Issue Liu Guijin (L) greets EU special Envoy to Sudan Torben Brylle (C) while Sudanese senior foreign minister official Mutrif Siddig Ali (R) prepares documents during the opening ceremony of the international conference on the Darfur Peace and Development at a hotel in Beijing on June 26, 2008. China said June 26 it had done all it could to help ease the bloodshed and suffering in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region. (Getty Images)



Photo: Liu Guijin (1st L, front), Chinese special representative for African affairs, inquires about the distribution of the relief foodstuff at a refugee camp in Darfur, west Sudan on May 22, 2007. (Xinhua Photo/Shao Jie)



Photo: Liu Guijin (R, front), Chinese special representative for African affairs, shakes hands with a local man at a market in al-Fashir, Sudan on May 22, 2007. (Xinhua Photo/Shao Jie)