Direct negotiations between the Sudanese government and SPLA-North opened in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa yesterday, mediated by the African Union.

The African Union says the “security talks” aim to end hostilities in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions as well as result in an agreement to secure humanitarian access into the rebel-held areas.

However, the Sudanese government is also interested in securing a political commitment on the part of SPLA-North to join the ‘National Dialogue’ process initiated by the ruling party in Khartoum.

Speaking at the opening session yesterday, Thabo Mbeki, chair of the African Union High-level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) said, “We are resuming the negotiations between them on these matters relating to the conflict in the Two Areas.”

“We are really hoping that it will be possible to finalize this time the negotiations in which both sides have been engaged for a few years and we are quite sure that there are some matters about which we will agree,” he said.

He said that one area of likely agreement was an agreement to end hostilities. He expected that the talks would address the humanitarian access question, saying he was “certain” that all were agreed to address this issue.

Mbeki added, “It is very, very important, absolutely critical, that the visualized National Dialogue in Sudan does take place, and that as agreed it should be inclusive, which means in particular that the armed movements both in the Two Areas and in Darfur have to be part of that process.”

He said the matter of hostilities in the Two Areas was therefore “directly linked” to the National Dialogue process.

Likewise, Ibrahim Ghandour, heading the Sudanese government delegation said, “We reiterate our call to all to join this comprehensive national dialogue process because it is the only way for us to reach a consensus on the constraints and solutions for our major problems that have been a subject of a contentious debate since the time before independence and up to this moment.”

Meanwhile, Yasser Arman, head of the SPLM-North delegation, called for the war to stop on all fronts and humanitarian access to the Two Areas.

He suggested some concerns about the credibility of the National Dialogue process as currently envisioned, but noted that a credible process could lead to a credible election process.

“This round of talks will be registered in history of the conflict as one of the important rounds, if not the most important,” he predicted in his opening address.

“…It may be the last chance to salvage Sudan through a credible national constitutional conference. This is the only road to bring a national consensus and a true nation building program,” said Arman.

Darfur rebel leader Minni Minawi was also present at the talks. In an interview with Radio Tamazuj, Yasser Arman disclosed that there have been contacts between Minawi representing the Sudan Revolutionary Front and the so-called “7 +7” organizing committee of the National Dialogue.

He expected these parties to hold talks starting later this month on 22 November.