Secretary-General Urges Parties in Sudan, South Sudan to Resume Peace Talks

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General is disappointed that the Sudanese parties failed to reach an agreement on a cessation of hostilities in Darfur and the two areas of Blue Nile and South Kordofan States during the last round of negotiations from 9 to 14 August in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The Secretary-General strongly urges all the parties to resume negotiations, abide by the Roadmap Agreement, and refrain from any attempt to escalate the conflict in Darfur and the two areas.  He reiterates that there can be no lasting alternative to a negotiated settlement and stresses that a cessation of hostilities is the first, indispensable step towards achieving this goal.

The Secretary-General appreciates the vital role played by the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel, the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) and his Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan to bring about a lasting peace in Sudan.