US Hails Qatar's Efforts to Reach Darfur Peace Document

Washington, July 15 (QNA) - The United States has expressed thanks to the State of Qatar for the extraordinary effort it made to reach a peace agreement between the Sudanese Government and the Liberation and Justice Movement (JLM) to settle peace in Darfur region .
The United States praised the agreement signed last night between Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir and the Liberation and Justice Movement signed in the presence of another four African leaders, calling on the other armed factions to join the peace process and to sit to the negotiating table.
"This agreement is a positive step forward on the road toward a lasting solution to the crisis in Darfur," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a statement.
"We will continue to press those armed movements which refuse to participate in the peace negotiations -- particularly the Sudan Liberation Army factions of Abdelwahid Nur to engage fully in the peace process," he said.
Toner also urged Sudan to "affirm its openness" to further negotiations on a comprehensive peace in Darfur. (QNA)