Lagos (Nigeria): The main militant group in Nigeria's oil-rich southern region today said it is willing to cease hostilities if the federal government allows conflict mediation by former US President Jimmy Carter.

The militants of "The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta" said Carter had accepted their invitation to help negotiate and end the long-running crisis that has contributed to the sharp rise in oil prices.

Militants say they received Carter's acceptance from John Stremlau, an official of Carter's organisation. But Stremlau told The Associated Press only that the ex-US president was generally ready to be "helpful in the quest for peace."

Stremlau said that if the government invited Carter and all sides were deemed to be serious about working for peace, Carter would take "a serious look" and make a "very serious consideration to be helpful."

Carter would not rule out any future mediation role, but "it would have to be all sides of the conflict," Stremlau said. "There's no point in becoming a pawn of one partisan group or another."

Government officials were not immediately available for comment. The Nigerian government believes the conflict is an internal matter.

"We are ready to call off all hostilities and hold a temporary cease-fire in honour of President Carter, should the Nigerian government accept President Carter's initiative," the militants said in a statement.

Source : PTI