Sudan Revolutionary Front leaders and other Paris Declaration signatories yesterday in Addis Ababa signed an 8-point document laying out a possible track toward their participation in the National Dialogue, which is a high-level political process backed by the country’s ruling party.

The document consists of a statement of principles in general terms. It was signed after consultations between the National Dialogue Committee, known as ‘7 + 7’, and the opposition leaders.

Last month the rebel leaders meeting in Paris committed themselves to a unilateral ceasefire and announced cooperation with the Umma Party. The groups met again over the last week in Addis Ababa.

According to the outcome document of the meetings in Addis Ababa, titled ‘Agreement on the National Dialogue and Constitutional Process,’ the National Dialogue process should not go forward without first agreeing on ‘rules and procedures.’

This would suggest that another more detailed framework agreement would be necessary before the Sudan Revolutionary Front were actually ready to participate in the process.

Sudan’s ruling party has insisted that the dialogue should take place within Sudan and without external mediation, while rebels have been reluctant to accept this because of concerns for their own safety.

The document alludes to this in point 7, stating, “necessary guarantees shall be put on place for the conduct and the implementation of the dialogue and the constitutional process.”

Thabo Mbeki, chairman of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel, witnessed the document, two identical versions of which were signed separately by Paris Group representatives Malik Agar and Sadig Al Mahdi, and 7 + 7 Committee representatives Ahmed Saad Omer and Ghazi Salahuddin.