China welcomes accord signed by Sudan, Darfur rebel group

A Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday that China welcomes a peace accord signed by the Sudanese government and a Darfur rebel group. "China welcomes the signing of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur by the government of Sudan and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM)," spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said in a written statement, expressing his hope that the peace accord can be substantially implemented and that other political groups can participate in the political reconciliation process as soon as possibly. Ma said the signing of the peace accord is another significant achievement made during the peace process in Darfur. He added that the signing has showcased the sincerity of both the Sudanese government and the political groups involved to address the Darfur issue through political negotiation. The spokesman also voiced his appreciation for the unremitting efforts made by the government of Qatar to establish the negotiations that led to the agreement. Since 2009, Qatar has been working to mediate between Darfur rebel groups and the Sudanese government in order to find a peaceful solution to their dispute. Despite the progress made with the signing of the Doha document, which took place Thursday, other rebel groups have yet to sign peace agreements with the Sudanese government. Fighting in Darfur between rebels and Sudan's government has been going on since 2003. According to UN estimates, the conflict has left 300,000 dead and 2.7 million displaced.