UN officials continue talks in Sudan

Senior United Nations officials are in Sudan today continuing their talks with Government officials and opposition leaders on how the world body can best help move the troubled country towards peace.

The Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, and the Special Representative for Sudan, Jan Pronk, today travelled from the capital Khartoum to the southern Sudanese town of Rumbek, where they met with John Garang, Chairman of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM).

The Secretary-General's Special Adviser, Lakhdar Brahimi, who is also in Sudan, remained in Khartoum and is scheduled to have meetings with Government officials.

The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), meanwhile, reported the security situation in the western region of Darfur – site of a separate conflict – over the weekend was reported to be fairly calm in terms of clashes between the Government and rebel groups and armed tribesmen, although some reports were received of attacks and clashes.

Widespread banditry continues to prevail in the three Darfur states, with hijacking and detention of humanitarian staff reported in South and North Darfur.