U.S. general says Bush strongly supports Sudan peace process
KHARTOUM, Oct 06, 2003 (dpa) — A retired U.S. Marine Corps general said Monday that President George W. Bush was very supportive of the peace process in Sudan and eager to see the war come to an end.
Carlton W. Fulford, speaking to reporters at Khartoum’s airport, said U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell also was very supportive and planned to come to the region very soon to participate in and encourage the peace process.
But U.S. officials said Powell’s visit to Kenya would depend on progress in the talks in the Rift Valley town of Naivasha, Kenya.
The talks, which were to resume Monday, were to cover the distribution of wealth and power-sharing between South and North Sudan and unresolved security arrangements.
The United States along with Britain, Norway and members of the European Union are making efforts to negotiate an end to 20 years of civil war in Sudan.
Fulford visited Sudan to build on an agreement signed September 25 on security arrangements between the government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and to avoid a derailment of the process, officials said.
Prior to arriving in Khartoum, Fulford met with chief mediator Lazarus Sumbeiwyo for a wide-ranging discussion on security issues.
Fulford emphasized the United States’ strong support for the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD)-led efforts to achieve a peace settlement.
Fulford said he had extremely positive discussion with SPLA leader John Garang and his top military commanders in talks in the rebel stronghold town of Rumbek in southern Sudan.
He met in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum with President Omer Hassan El Beshir and minister of defence Bakri Hassan Saleh.
“I am extremely supportive and I can congratulate the courage of Sudanese leadership in coming to the agreement they had reached on military and security arrangements,” the U.S. official said.
The leaders assured him that they are dedicated to the peace process, he said.
His discussion with Sudanese authorities concentrated on various areas, including monitoring and verification and determining what kind of monitoring organization needs to be established.
Fulford said he and the leaders also talked about the assistance and training of the joint integrated units stipulated by the military and security agreement.
He acknowledged the long history of the conflict, saying most people in Sudan have suffered a great deal.