Kerry: Agreement by Sudanese Leaders to Tripartite Talks on the Implementation of...Peace Agreement

[ProSense]

04/17/2009

Chairman Kerry Announces Agreement by Sudanese Leaders to Tripartite Talks on the Implementation of the Vital North-South Peace Agreement

KHARTOUM, SUDAN– Last evening, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry issued the following statement after meetings yesterday in Sudan:

"After a series of discussions with Sudanese leaders from both the North and South of Sudan, I can announce that leaders from the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) have made commitments to enter into tripartite talks with President Obama’s Special Envoy for Sudan, General Gration, to reengage in talks on implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

The CPA ended the longest war in African history. The agreement was a victory for both North and South, bringing to a close conflict that had lasted decades and claimed millions of lives. However, implementation of key elements of the CPA has lagged. Following meetings with Vice President Taha, Foreign Minister Deng, and a phone call with President Salva Kir, the leaders committed to return to the negotiation table.

Bringing a lasting peace and ending the humanitarian tragedy in Darfur remains a high priority. Special Envoy Gration has succeeded in negotiating a strong agreement with the government with many positive elements to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Darfur and in my meetings today, I emphasized the urgent need to fully address the humanitarian situation and suffering of the people in Darfur.

But the implementation and fulfillment of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement is also absolutely essential for the future of Sudan. The United States played a key role in crafting the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and if today’s commitments are honored, General Gration and the United States will have a critical role in seeing to its fulfillment.”

Government Optimistic of Kerry's Visit (Darfur) as Historic

[jillan]

1. Omg - that is AWESOME news!

I just hope that the Sudanese leaders stick with it.

[blm]

2. This is a great development. Of course, I expect most corpmedia will ignore it.

.

[YvonneCa]

4. True. So e-mail the link to everyone...

...you can think of! ;)

:hi:

[karynnj]

15. In a way, that matters less than it happened

If this gets the Obama administration on the path to helping Sudan get real change via the peace process for a long term move away from the genocide and chaos and international aid back to feed people now, this is exactly the type of making the world better that Kerry has spoken of since he was a college student.

[YvonneCa]

30. It is good that it happened. I think you are right. For me, though...

...the coverage...or lack thereof...is still infuriating. :7

[YvonneCa]

3. I know we have Obama now, and I shouldn't say this again, but...

...THAT's MY PRESIDENT! :patriot: Good work, Senator Kerry.

[ObamaKerryDem]

6. I second this! :) K&R!

[YvonneCa]

7. It's good to know there are at least two of us...

...left. :7

[karynnj]

19. Add me too

I think the changes with Obama were fantastic. In addition, Kerry would have faced the dysfunctional 109th Congress where both Houses were dominated by Republicans and a country that on the eve of the election did not see how bad things were really going - a gallup poll showed that 59% said the country was going very well or fairly well.

Kerry would have been a fantastic, moral, hard working President - but likely a one term President blamed for not having the glorious victory in Iraq that would transform the entire Middle East and blamed for the financial crisis - for which everything was already set in place. It might not have been as bad - Kerry, as a Senator, was the first to press for dealing with the foreclosure crisis and had a 2004 plank on predatory ending - not to mention he would never have kept Cox as the SEC head, so the leverage rue likely would have not been 1 to 44. Still, it would have been a painful bubble break when it happened - and he would have been blamed.

Obama came in with 80% plus thinking the country is going the wrong way and no neo-con illusions. (Remember in 2005, the NYT and WP led the praise for Bush's spreading democracy inaugural address.) Also, even though the Republicans tried to blame the financial situation on Obama, it is so blatantly untrue that few are buying it. The combination of public consensus that the country is in trouble and the Democratic majorities afford Obama the chance to be a President of FDR's stature. I never thought I would say it, but it would have been in the Republicans interest not to have lied and distorted Senator Kerry's life and personality. (It would have been better for the word as well - but people would never know how bad the alternative (Bush) really was.)

[ObamaKerryDem]

22. Very good points. President Kerry would've had an even harder road in many of the ways..

you've pointed out here. Like you, I think he would've been an excellent President though and deserved to win (if he didn't actually; there are still so many things about that election that will never ring quite true, at least not to me and I know I'm not alone in that sentiment). I'm not sure if the financial crisis would've been as crushing as it was under two terms of Bush, but you might have a point there, in him possibly have already inherited it, not to mention the full impact of the destruction of the Bush years having yet to be realized by a lot of people. So it would've been more difficult for him undoubtedly in many ways, though I will always wish that he would've taken office back then. Like you said, the world would've been better off. *sighs* But everything happens for a reason I guess (though I will never quite understand how someone like Bush could even get one term, much less two. I mean, I know of all the reasons, but still..grr..) and I'm very satisfied with President Obama thus far. :) I'm just so glad we now have people like him and Senator Kerry running things and representing us; the people who actually know what they are doing! :D

[YvonneCa]

27. You are definitely not alone in the sentiment...

...about 2004. ;) I love this statement: "I will never quite understand how someone like Bush could even get one term, much less two." Me, either. :)

[ObamaKerryDem]

29. Aww, thanks. I meant every word! :)

:hug:

[YvonneCa]

26. Boy, karynnj, when you're right...

...you are RIGHT. :7 I agree with every word.

[politicasista]

5. Kick. This is a plus!

Kudos to Senator Kerry. And the Obama Adminstration for not losing sight of Darfur.

:kick: :patriot:

[YvonneCa]

8. They aren't losing sight of very much..

...are they. ;) This is what I voted for...an administration to make this country right again. Kudos to Kerry and Obama! :patriot:

[politicasista]

9. They sure aren't

This is the change I too voted for. For an administration and competent make the country right again. Kudos to them both. :fistbump: :patriot:



:hi:

[ProSense]

10. Photos

U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator John Kerry visits a camp for
displaced Sudanese people at Al-Slaam camp near Al-Fasher town, north Darfur,
April 17, 2009. U.S. Senator Kerry said after talks with senior Sudanese officials on
Khartoum would allow some foreign aid to be restored in its western Darfur region but
that it was not sufficient.

[politicasista]

12. Nice pics. Thanks.

That looks like Momma T in the third one too. :patriot:


:hi:

[karynnj]

20. The second to last picture is great.

[rockymountaindem]

11. Kerry's the man

Proven time and time again.

[ObamaKerryDem]

23. Absolutely! :D And great pics. Sounds like the trip was very successful. Congrats Senator Kerry..

and Teresa! :)

[DoBotherMe]

13. I was thinking about Sen Kerry

last night and how much I wish he was SecDef. Maybe next term. Dana ; )

[karynnj]

16. I think it was clear that Secretary of State is the only thing worth giving up his Senate seat

He is chair of SFRC and as you can see - that lets him do things like this and to hod hearings. He also is likely one of the people whose fp advice Obama takes - and if he isn't, it is even better that he is in the Senate - as there is no reason he would respect his advice more in another position.

For Kerry to give up what will in 2013 be 28 years of seniority and the seats on 3 super A committees (SFRC, Finance and Commerce) would be a lot to ask.

[karynnj]

14. Between this and the agreement to get aid back into Darfur, this is an incredibly successful trip

Congratulations To John and Teresa Kerry!

[Kdillard]

17. Kerry is doing such good work. kick and rec.

[karynnj]

18. Apparently the NYT, the paper of record doesn't see any thing "fit to print" here

even though they argued that the special envoy had a really tough job getting international aid restarted - something that Kerry got them to agree to - even if it is clear they may still block some or all of the expelled organizations. (Not to mention that he also announced that the peace process was restarting - another good move.

Link to earlier stuff on the envoy's trip - the latest thing you get searching for Sudan on the NYT. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/us-envoy-visits-sudan/?scp=4&sq=Sudan&st=cse

[karynnj]

21. Here's coverage of a Kerry interview and an interesting Sudanese article

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSLH612957

Here's the Sudanese article - http://www.sudanvisiondaily.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=44176 The level of coverage there is really high and that itself says something in a country like that. It may be that they want to move from the pain of the current horrors.

[Muttocracy]

24. K&R. nt

[burning rain]

25. Sounds like good news for both surviving Darfuris.

*

[karynnj]

28. If this is sarcasm, it is misplaced

There is no one in the Obama administration or or on the Foreign Relations committee who are not horrified by the situation. Kerry in 2004, while running for President, termed it "genocide".

It is possible that this won't lead to the end of genocide - but would you rather international aid still being banned? Isn't this the type of action we demanded Bush take around the world? No American official has condoned what happened in the past - they are trying to avoid more humanitarian catastrophe, which the UN says will happen if there is no aid. You may not think that just getting additional food there is a plus, but I would bet the starving Darfuis will disagree.

[politicasista]

31. If anyone is still reading this far down

The story got a little coverage at Essence.com. Just a blurb but still good because they have excellent coverage of the Obamas, and the Obama Adminstration.


http://www.essence.com/news_entertainment/news/articles/sen_john_kerry_what_hes_doing_in_africa