The African Union (AU)-sponsored talks to restore peace in war-ravaged Darfur region, western Sudan, reached a deadlock again on Monday when negotiators of the Sudanese government and two rebel groups discussed sensitive issues of security and disarmament.  

Festus Okwonko, head of the AU ceasefire monitoring team in Darfur, told reporters that the two sides were sticking to their hard-line positions as the Sudanese government demanded that both the rebels and pro-government Arab militia be disarmed simultaneously while rebel leaders insisted they would only demobilize after the horse-mounted Arab militia disarmed.

"It appears deadlocked as the two sides are holding to their hard-line positions," Okwonko said.

The conflict in Darfur, described by the United Nations the world's current worst humanitarian crisis, has left more than 10,000 dead and 1.4 million others displaced since 19 months ago.

On July 15, the AU brokered a political dialogue in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa between the Sudanese government and the two rebel groups, yet the talks collapsed due to differences on various issues.

The Abuja meeting, which opened on Aug. 23, is another effort by the regional bloc to help bring about a political solution to the crisis in Darfur.

(Xinhua News Agency September 7, 2004)