WASHINGTON, Jan 9 (AFP) - US President George W. Bush on Sunday applauded both the government of Sudan and the rebel movement for ending a civil war, but reminded Khartoum that fighting must end in Darfur.
"I congratulate the government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement on the signing of a comprehensive peace agreement," Bush said in a statement.
"Both sides should be proud of this accomplishment," he said in a statement.
"The difficult work of implementation must now begin. Only the implementation of this agreement in good faith can result in long-term peace and development," he said.
The United States has long been pushing for an end to the north-south conflict that began early in 1983, and launched a major campaign two years ago to support regional mediation efforts.
As part of that effort, Washington has held out the promise of better ties with the Muslim government in Khartoum, which the State Department lists as a "state sponsor of terrorism" and is subject to numerous US sanctions.
Such steps, however, were complicated by lengthy delays in the north-south negotiations and, more importantly, by the worsening situation in Darfur which deteriorated significantly in the spring of 2004.
"As we celebrate this positive movement toward peace in the longstanding north-south conflict, we remember the conflict in Darfur and the suffering it causes," Bush said.
"This comprehensive peace agreement should serve as an inspiration and model for both sides in their work toward negotiating a peaceful resolution of the Darfur conflict.
"I call on the government of Sudan and on all Darfur rebel groups to live up to their ceasefire commitments, to end atrocities, and to allow the free movement of humanitarian workers and supplies.
"The United States will continue to assist the people of Darfur in reaching a just and lasting peace," he said.
Sudanese troops and their militia allies have been fighting since February 2003 against rebel groups in Darfur, who have been demanding a greater share of oil revenues for development.
The violence in Darfur has claimed some 70,000 lives and left 1.6 million people homeless.
01/09/2005 22:10 GMT - AFP