BRUSSELS, Aug 7 (Reuters) - The European Union on Tuesday hailed an agreement among Darfur rebel factions, saying it had taken the region a significant step closer to peace. The factions, meeting in Tanzania, agreed a common negotiating position and want final peace talks with the Sudanese government within months, international mediators said. EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana called the outcome of the meeting in Arusha brokered by the African Union and the United Nations "very encouraging". "The prospect of peace in Darfur has moved a significant step closer," he said in a statement. "The common position among essential non-signatory movements is an achievement, which holds the promise of peace negotiations in the coming months." Solana pledged that the European Union would continue strong support for the peace process and urged the rebel movements and the government to live up to their commitments. "Now is the time to engage and demonstrate genuine dedication to put an end to this crisis," he said. International experts estimate 200,000 people have died in a four-year conflict since mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in Darfur, accusing the government Khartoum of neglecting the region. The government mobilised mostly Arab militias to quell the revolt. Since a 2006 peace deal signed by only one rebel faction, insurgents have split into more than a dozen groups with myriad demands. Analysts have said the Arusha meeting's chance of success was hampered by the absence of some important rebel figures, but it nonetheless succeeded in boosting unity. Analysts said it was an important next step after the U.N. Security Council approved a 26,000-strong U.N.-AU hybrid force to stabilise Darfur.
