Rhino: Agencies – Diplomatic sources said in press statements on Thursday that the ongoing discussions between the Rapid Support Forces and army negotiating delegations in the US capital, Washington, are being held separately between the parties, based on a negotiating paper presented by the US administration based on the International Quartet’s statement.

The sources indicated that the negotiations have reached an advanced stage and may yield tangible results before an official meeting of the Quartet countries is held in the coming days. The proposed negotiation paper represents a new attempt to reset the political process after previous rounds stalled, and comes amid increased international coordination between Washington, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and Cairo.

The parties agreed to postpone discussion of political arrangements until after a permanent ceasefire has been reached and a clear framework for military arrangements has been established, including determining the fate of the armies. After that, a political dialogue between the civilian forces will be called for, with the aim of reaching a consensus formula that will lead to the formation of a civilian government to lead the country towards elections.

For its part, the Rapid Support Forces sent a delegation led by a high-level official, who reached a series of understandings with Musad Paulis, the US president’s advisor on Africa and the Arab world. The understandings covered most of the points raised earlier by international mediators, indicating that there is common ground on which to build if both sides have the political will, according to sources.