The stalled Sudanese peace talks will resume on August 3.

And the Sudan Government yesterday said it is committed to the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad) brokered-peace process.

Sudanese resident peace envoy to Kenya, Mr Dirdeiry Mohammed Ahmed, said yesterday the Sudan government had received a return-to-negotiations proposal from Igad "and we are giving it due attention".

He said Igad had communicated with the Sudan government and the SPLM rebel group on the new dates to return the process on track.

"The government wants to get back to negotiations as a away of continuing our engagement in the process. We are interested in dialogue," he said.

The last round of peace talks held in Nakuru two weeks ago ended prematurely after the Sudan government rejected a draft framework saying it did not adequately address key issues.

A government delegation to the talks said the framework lacked a satisfactory basis for wealth and power sharing, military and security arrangements.

Dirdeiry said the Sudan government would pursue negotiations with the aim of securing an agreeable deal that would satisfy all Sudanese people.

He said the government's commitment to peace was unequivocal adding: "We will continue to explore all avenues to reach a compromise as spelt out in the Machakos protocol"

He denied that Khartoum was forum shopping to involve other countries with the aim of derailing the peace process. He said the government had approached the African Union with the aim of involving other African countries even before the talks collapsed.

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