The Sudanese government has rejected an agreement reached last year with a rebel movement.

It claims the Machakos Protocol, which sought to end the country's civil war, is no longer binding on Khartoum because it allegedly favours the Sudan People's Liberation Movement.

The country's deputy ambassador to Kenya, Mr Dirdeiry Mohamed Ahmed, who also leads his government's delegation to the peace talks, yesterday told journalists in Nairobi that the negotiations had been trivialising issues critical to the north and the government.

The negotiations have been organised by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad).

Mr Ahmed said the government delegation was no longer interested in the talks and was walking out.

Sudan has reportedly expressed misgivings with Kenya's mediation in the civil war that began in 1983 and has suggested the involvement of South Africa.

Separately, however, Kenya's special envoy to the talks, Mr Lazarus Sumbeiywo, said he was optimistic that the talks would resume.

He sought to downplay the differences between the SPLM and Khartoum over religious and power-sharing issues, saying: "There are obstacles and setbacks in every negotiation. We are sorting out the differences and we expect the delegations to meet on July 23."

Sudan's long civil war has roots in British colonialism and Sudanese independence in the early 1950s.

For about 50 years, the south and north have fought over resource allocation and domination by the government.

The south, which is mainly non-Muslim, has fought successive wars with the Islamic north over its dominance of government, education and economy.

The protocol that guarantees southern Sudan the right to secede through a referendum after an interim period, has formed the basis of the subsequent five phases of negotiations mediated by Mr Sumbeiywo.

The sixth phase held in Nakuru collapsed after the negotiating parties failed to agree on issues of power and wealth sharing.

Mr Ahmed claims that the Machakos protocol neglected views of the Sudan government on the role of religion.

Besides, he says, new issues have crept into the talks, threatening its spirit and Igad's impartiality.

* Kenya's special envoy to the Somali talks, Mr Bethuel Kiplagat, and one of that country's presidential candidates want peace talks in Nairobi uninterrupted.

Mr Kiplagat and Osman Mohamed Farah said Somalia was crying for leadership to steer it to peace and development.

"The only issue that remains to be solved is that of federalism and we expect it resolved by Thursday and nothing should stand in its way," Mr Kiplagat said in an interview yesterday.

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