UK's Lord Malloch-Brown On Darfur Peace Talks

Lord Malloch-Brown was interviewed on the BBC World Service radio on Tuesday 9 October. He commented on the prospects for the Darfur peace talks due to take place in Libya later this month.

Darfur Peace Talks

BBC Presenter: Britain meanwhile is talking tough. It wants all rebel groups to attend peace talks due to open in Libya later this month.

Lord Malloch-Brown is the British Minister for Africa. The BBC's Martin Plaut asked what he made of the latest escalation in the violence.

Lord Malloch-Brown: Well I think there was always the risk that with a well advertised peace negotiation in Tripoli announced weeks ahead of when it was to start that all sides would try and maximise their gain over territory in the run up to those peace talks and I'm afraid that that is happening but we are seeing certain rebel groups exhibiting behaviour which leave, leaves one in serious doubt about whether they are as committed as they should be to a peace process. This is not a situation where the blame is all on one side, far from it.

Martin Plaut: But I mean a lot of the rebel groups are now saying that there's no way they're attending the talks in Libya. I mean those talks now surely are in very serious trouble.

Lord Malloch-Brown: Well we've got to make sure they succeed because, you know, I think the rebel groups have to realise that they do not have a blank cheque from the international community to kind of make peace an optional extra that they choose at a time of their own choosing. It is extremely important that the Tripoli talks happen and that they are representative that we get, make sure that not just the rebel groups are there but that leaders of the IDP, refugee camps, women's leaders and others are there because one of the consequences of all this war-like talk by the rebels and the postponement of any kind of final peace or settlement to this is that in many cases they're not any more that representative of the Darfuris themselves. So, you know, I think we've got to keep all pressure on representative leadership going to Tripoli and negotiating an agreement.

Martin Plaut: But I mean are you saying then that the talks will go ahead and you will push them ahead even if people like, like the SLA, the JEM really big movements don't go there?

Lord Malloch-Brown: Well I think it's very dangerous to go down that route at this stage and kind of offer people some kind of, you know, a potential black balling or ability to stall the talks by their non-attendance. You know what we are saying is that, you know, our first assumption is that rebel leaders that don't go are in many ways abdicating their right to represent people. It has been the whole push of the international community, it is in the Security Council resolution that there should be peace talks in Tripoli and that means anybody who wants to be a legitimate representative of the Darfuri people needs to go there. If they opt out they should understand the consequences of doing that.

Martin Plaut: Which are?

Lord Malloch-Brown: Well that they, probably their role in the peace negotiations may be finished.

Presenter: Britain's Minister for Africa, Lord Mark Malloch Brown.

***

In an earlier interview Lord Malloch-Brown made the following comments:

BBC Presenter: But first Britain has warned rebels in the Sudanese region of Darfur that they could find themselves excluded from the peace process if they boycott talks due to be held in Libya later this month. A number of rebel movements have threatened not to attend the talks but speaking to the BBC Britain's Minister for Africa, Lord Mark Malloch-Brown, said they might have no further part to play in discussions over the future of the war torn region.

The BBC's Africa Editor, Martin Plaut, reports.

Martin Plaut: The prospects for the peace talks in Libya due to take place on the 27th of this month are looking increasingly grim. The level of violence in Darfur is on the rise, something that might have been anticipated as the parties jostle for control of territory ahead of the meeting. But more worrying is that some of the largest of the more than a dozen groups are now threatening not to attend. The talks have been endorsed by the UN Security Council and Britain's Minister for Africa, Mark Malloch Brown, has a blunt message for those considering staying away.

Lord Malloch-Brown: Rebel leaders that don't go are in many ways abdicating their right to represent people and that means anybody who wants to be a legitimate representative of the Darfuri people needs to go there. If they opt out they, they should understand the consequences of doing that.

Martin Plaut: Which are?

Lord Malloch-Brown: Well that they, probably their role in the peace negotiations may be finished.

Martin Plaut: The divisions among the rebel movements and their inability to find a common cause has been one of the most difficult issues for the international community to deal with but unless all sides can be persuaded to attend there's little hope that the Libyan talks will contribute to the resolution of the crisis in Darfur.

Madeleine Morris: Haroun Abdul Hameed is from the Movement for Justice and Equality, or JEM, one of the main rebel groups in Sudan.

Haroun Abdul Hameed (Movement for Justice and Equality): If the British Government is going to push the AU to do this conference and this ... to make joint positions for the movement and also to consult the people of Darfur before the talks it will be very good. I, I think it is better for the Africa Minister to do the efforts towards helping people to make common ground ... the peace rather than making this ....

ENDS

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