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April 5, 2014 (PARIS) - The Chadian president Idriss Deby met with the chairman of Justice and Equality Movement Gibril Ibrahim in Paris on Saturday to discuss peace in Darfur, announced the group in a statement released on Sunday.

Chad’s President Idriss Deby Itno talks to the press before attending the second day of the 4th EU-Africa summit on April 3, 2014 at the EU Headquarters in Brussels (Photo AFP/Thierry Charlier)

The meeting which is the official first contact between the two Zaghawa leaders is the first since 2010 when Chad and Sudan signed an agreement ending tensions between the two neighbouring countries and providing to stop support to rebel groups from both sides.

According to JEM spokesperson Gibreel Adam Bilal, Deby told Ibrahim that he wanted to meet him in response to the desire of the Zaghawa tribal leaders who held two forums in the border town of Um Jaras where they "assured him they are tired from war and want peace".

Different sources said Deby asked Ibrahim and Minni Minnawi who is also a Zaghawa to meet him in Paris at the end of the 4th EU-Africa Summit which took place in Brussels on 2-3 April.

Minnawi did not release a statement about the meeting but it was reported that he too is in Paris to meet with the president Deby separately.

Gibril Ibrhaim told Sudan Tribune after the meeting that he repeated the demand of the rebel alliance Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) for an inclusive process to achieve a comprehensive solution to the different armed conflict in the country.

"We said it is not a matter of tribe or a region but the whole Sudan. We do not want partial agreements, but a solution negotiated with all the SRF members to achieve a genuine peace and democratic change in Sudan," Ibrahim stated.

JEM leader further said that Deby told him he intended to transmit him a message and brief him about the outcome of Um Jaras forum, and pledged to report what he heard in Paris to Darfur tribal leaders who commissioned him to hold this meeting.

When asked if they intend to meet again Ibrahim said they did not speak about such thing but expressed readiness to meet again if needed.

In Khartoum the official news agency, SUNA, reported the meeting saying he informed JEM leader of the demand of Darfur people for peace in the region .

The SRF issued on Friday a statement claiming that new Chadian troops have been recently deployed in North Darfur to take part in the counterinsurgency campaign launched there after a series of attacks by the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement – Minni Minnawi.

The rebel groups members of the SRF alliance demand that the Sudanese government accepts to negotiate a comprehensive humanitarian cessation of hostilities agreement with them before to hold an inclusive meeting brokered by international mediators to discuss political matters.

The ruling National Congress Party, which seeks to organise a National Dialogue with the political forces ahead of the general elections in 2015, proposes that the rebel join this process after signing separate peace agreements to end armed conflicts in Darfur region and South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.
(ST)