Pessimism grows over Darfur talks

The Sudanese delegation announced a unilateral ceasefire

Talks in Libya aimed at trying to end the four-year war in Sudan's Darfur region have entered a second day.
The talks began on Saturday with the Sudanese government announcing a unilateral ceasefire.

But with key rebel leaders boycotting the talks, pessimism is growing that they will have any lasting impact, says the BBC's Jonah Fisher at the talks.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi said there were limits to what international intervention could achieve in Darfur.

'Tribal problem'

At the gathering in the Libyan city of Sirte, Sudanese presidential adviser Nafie Ali Nafie said: "We announce a ceasefire from this moment, and we will respect it unilaterally."

However, several ceasefires have previously been agreed and none has ended the violence.

Some 200,000 people have died and two million have been displaced in the conflict.

Both the SLA-Unity and the Justice and Equality Movement (Jem) groups decided not to attend after the UN and the AU - who are mediating the talks - invited other rebel groups they claim have little support, said Mohammed Bahr Hamdeen, a senior Jem leader.

The talks are being hosted by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

He said without the two groups' leaders present in Sirte, "we cannot achieve peace".

"As long as they object to this conference, then there is no justification for the international community to intervene," he said.

Mr Gaddafi also cast doubt on what the international community could achieve in Darfur.

"To internationalise a tribal problem is an exercise in futility," he said in his opening remarks to the gathering.