The African Union has extended the deadline to reach a peace agreement for Darfur by 48 hours. Salim Ahmed Salim, the chief AU mediator, said late on Tuesday that the extension aimed at giving negotiators a further chance to strike a deal. "Nigerian President and African Union Chairman Olusegun Obasanjo requested to further extend the deadline for ending the talks by another 48 hours ... to explore what more could be done ... to adopt and sign the agreement," Salim said moments before a midnight deadline for the talks to end expired.
Noureddine Mezni, AU spokesman, said the Nigerian president had also requested the extension so that a group of African heads of state who are due on Wednesday in the Nigerian capital Abuja, the talks venue, could participate. |