U.S. pushes for Darfur peace deal as deadline nears
published: Friday | May 5, 2006

ABUJA, (Reuters)

The Sudanese government and rebels from the Darfur region were locked in last-ditch negotiations for a peace deal yesterday, under intense pressure from U.S. diplomats anxious to see them agree to end a three-year war.

The government of Sudan has accepted a peace plan on security, power-sharing and wealth-sharing drafted by African Union (AU) mediators, but three Darfur rebel factions refuse to sign, citing objections to many provisions of the proposed deal.

The AU has twice put back by 48 hours a deadline for an agreement to allow diplomatic efforts, which are now being led by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick.