Egypt, Sudan presidents hold talks on political issues, ties

Sept 17, 2005 (ALEXANDRIA) — Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir held a closed session of bilateral talks at midday today on the current situation in Sudan and ways of boosting bilateral relations and joint cooperation between the two countries.

Sudanese Al-Beshir with Egyptian Mubarak. (file/AFP) .

The talks between the two sides focused on reviewing conditions as a whole in Sudan, including the current situation, the consultations to form a transition government in implementation of the peace agreement with the south and the situation in Darfur following the start of the sixth round of negotiations in Abuja the day before yesterday.

According to the Egyptian news agency MENA, They also dealt with the situation in eastern Sudan and signs that can develop into a conflict, especially between the Beja tribes and the Free Lions organization.

Talks also included aspects of cooperation between the two countries before the fourth round of the joint higher commission next November in Cairo and evaluating the achieved progress in implementing the recommendations of the third round of the commission last year.

Sudanese President Umar al-Bashir arrived earlier in Burj al-Arab Airport near Alexandria on a short visit that will last a few hours. He was received at the airport by President Hosni Mubarak.

The higher joint Egyptian-Sudnaese committee is to discuss in its upcoming meeting, due in October in Cairo, means to support the integral institutions between the two sides, several agreements and joint cooperation programs, in addition to means to increase trade and investment exchange and establish joint projects.

(ST)