Bush invites Sudanese rebel leader Garang to White House, Sudanese report

BBC Monitoring Middle East

By Sudanese radio

KHARTOUM, Nov. 11, 2003 — The US president, George Bush, has sent a message to the leader of the people’s movement [the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, SPLM], Dr John Garang. In the message, President Bush stressed Washington’s support for efforts to bring about peace in Sudan.

News reports quoted the SPLM’s official spokesman, Yasir Arman, as saying the message was delivered by the US envoy in Nairobi [Kenya]. The letter touched on what was achieved in the peace process and what remains of the pending issues before a final agreement.

Arman pointed out that the US president renewed in the message his invitation to the president of the republic, Staff Lt-Gen Umar al-Bashir and the SPLM leader to visit Washington and met him at the White House.