Some tribes, from whom the rebel groups are drawn, are common to Darfur (Sudan) and Chad, which share a common border.
Relations between the two countries hit their nadir after a group of armed Darfur rebels (from Justice and Equality Movement) launched an attack in a busy Khartoum locality last year killing many innocent civilians.
Khartoum accused Chad of backing the group, which the former denies. Sudan and Chad have held talks in the past as well, but peace has always been elusive as each time the negotiations have failed after a while.
The meeting which resumes today is also discussing why peace agreements inked in the past between the two countries failed and could not be implemented. The meet is likely to pass a resolution ending the bitterness between the two sides. A final agreement is expected to be signed in Libya.
Qatar yesterday lauded Libya for supporting its initiative to bring the two African Muslims nations back to talking terms.
Opening the historic meeting of representatives of the two governments at the Doha Sheraton, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani, expressed hope that meeting would strengthen the ties between the two sides and remove all misgivings. “We have learnt from experience that there is no ill-will between relatives and neighbours that cannot be resolved,” the Premier said.
“We are not starting this meeting from vacuum, but from what we built on due to good efforts made by other sisterly countries,” the Premier said, noting that the meeting was a result of a Qatari-Libyan joint effort made by the Libyan Leader and chairman of the African Union (AU) Muammar Gaddafi.
Following the Premier’s address, a closed-door meeting began, chaired by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, H E Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud, and Secretary-General of Foreign communications and international cooperation committee at Libya’s foreign ministry, Moussa Kosa.
Chad Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Al Faki and Sudanese Minister for International Cooperation Al Tejani S Fudail attended the meet.
