MOSCOW, September 8 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow will host an international conference on Sudan on October 6-7, the Russian president's envoy for settlement of the long-running conflict in the African state said on Tuesday.
The civil war that broke out in the western region of Darfur in early 2003 has claimed the lives of more than 300,000, in United Nations estimates. Numerous militant groups have been seeking to topple current leader Omar al-Bashir, accusing him of ethnic cleansing against non-Arab groups in the region.
Mikhail Margelov said the conference would include politicians, scientists and legal experts, and he hoped it would help the warring parties "to look at the events from the outside and find ways of reconciliation."
Margelov said the 2005 comprehensive peace deal with the government to end the civil war - which gave more autonomy to the south and obliged the region to share oil revenues equally with the north - is the only way to bring peace to Sudan.
He said the UN, EU, China, the Netherlands, the U.S., Finland, Sweden, African Union leaders and Arab League countries, humanitarian organizations and academics, as well as a Sudanese delegation had confirmed their participation.
The UN and the African Union are deploying 13,000 troops in the region. Russia has contributed 142 troops to the UN mission and 11 observers, but is considering sending a separate contingent. The Darfur conflict is feared may grow into a wider regional war.
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for the Sudanese leader on war crimes charges. Russia joined Arab countries in criticizing the move which it says could harm ties between the West and the Arab world.
Sudan has large areas of arable land, is rich in gold and cotton, and possesses major oil reserves.
