African heads of state hail Sudan’s peace declaration

KAMPALA, Oct. 24, 2003 (dpa) — African heads of state gathering in Kampala under the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) group Friday hailed the recent peace declaration between the Sudanese government and rebels based in the south of the country.

Sudan’s President Omar el-Bashir told the summit leaders of Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Djibouti and Mozambique that he is “confident that comprehensive peace will prevail” in the talks between his government and the leader of the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), John Garang, in neighbouring Kenya.

“The peace talks achieved commendable progress and a considerable breakthrough with the signature of the framework agreement on security and military arrangements,” Bashir told the summit in the Ugandan capital of Kampala Friday.

Sudan’s peace talks have been underway in Nairobi and Kenyan leader Mwai Kibaki told the summit that “both the governments of Sudan and the SPLA have addressed the root causes of war in their country and are ready to turn around the future of Sudan”.

The heads of state are still discussing the key issues of the summit including the peace process in Sudan and Somalia, Ethiopia- Eritrea tensions and terrorism and are expected to come out with a joint communique early Friday night.