A library photo for Taha, right, and Garang shaking hand in Naivasha

NAIVASHA, Kenya, December 21 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - Sudan's government and the main rebel group have reached an agreement on the sharing of oil wealth at talks in Kenya, paving the way for a comprehensive peace accord, Kenya's Foreign Minister Kalonzo Musyoka said late Saturday, December 20.

The SPLM spokesman said that the agreement will be formally signed Sunday, December 21, Al-Jazeera satellite channel reported.

The breakthrough in Sudan peace talks to end two decades of civil conflict between the north and south came after marathon talks between Sudan's Vice President Ali Osman Taha and Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM) Chief John Garang.

The final round of talks started December 7 in this Kenyan city, 80km northwest of Nairobi, with the Taha and Garang meeting face-to-face to resolve the three outstanding issues: power-sharing, distribution of wealth and the status of three disputed regions - Nuba Mountains, Southern Blue Nile and Abyei.

U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan rang Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir Saturday to congratulate him on the impressive strides taken, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Annan hailed "the positive development" in peace talks in Naivasha and expressed hope that the progress would carry over into other areas so that "final peace" could be reached after two decades of civil war.

Thanking Annan for his concern with the peace process in Sudan, Beshir assured the U.N. chief that the "will power" of the Sudanese people would help in achieving "a just and lasting peace".

Kenyan mediators announced the breakthrough agreement earlier Saturday although details were not immediately available.

Although Sudan's current output is only around 300,000 barrels per day, which accounts for 43 per cent of government revenue. However, its oil reserves promise far greater riches.

Their division between the government and the rebels has been one of the most contentious issues in more than year-old peace talks.

The government was only prepared to give 17%, the SPLM was demanding over half.

In September, both sides reached a deal on transitional security, under which the government would withdraw its troops from the southern positions.

Under another agreement signed in Kenya in July last year, the south will enjoy autonomy from Khartoum for six years, following which a referendum will be held to determine whether the south will secede or remain part of Sudan.

The six-year interim period will come into effect once a comprehensive peace agreement is signed.