MOSCOW, November 13 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's foreign minister expressed his support on Thursday for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's announcement of a ceasefire in the restive Darfur region.
"We hail this decision. We believe that this step will provide for the swift resumption of negotiations," Sergei Lavrov said at a meeting with Sudanese presidential envoy Abdul Rahim Hussein in Moscow.
The Russian foreign minister also said it was important that rebel groups in Darfur take a constructive approach to Sudanese president's decision.
According to international estimates, over 200,000 people have been killed and around 2.5 million displaced since the conflict in Darfur between government troops and state-backed militias and local rebels broke out in 2003.
