Sudan: Talks With Darfur Rebels rejected

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir has declared victory in the contested western region of Darfur, offered rebels a one-month amnesty and said he would not attend peace talks this weekend in Geneva. He has promised to provide access to Darfur for aid workers, however, a move the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs welcomed. "This represents a breakthrough, since for months we have been prevented from reaching large numbers of displaced civilians in what is one of the worst emergencies in Africa," said Jan Egeland, the U.N. emergency relief coordinator.