Sudan’s Bashir to attend inauguration of the Chadian president

Aug 4, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — To mark the normalization between the two countries Sudanese president Omer al-Bashir is to expected to attend the inauguration of the Chadian president Idriss Deby

The official SUNA said Omer al-Bashir next Tuesday will attend the inauguration of the Chadian President Idriss Deby who is re-elected for the third time as President of the Republic of Cahd on 3 May 2006.

Chad’s civil opposition has boycotted the election to protest Deby’s changing of the constitutional term limit, saying he is trying to install himself for life.

Deby, who seized power by force in 1990, won votes in 1996 and 2001 that critics say were neither vote was free and fair. Last year, he pushed for a national referendum to change the constitution to allow him to run for a third term. The amendment passed after an opposition boycott.

The incumbent President Idriss Deby has ignored pleas from Chad’s civil opposition, the influential regional organisation the African Union, US government, and the Catholic Church to postpone Wednesday’s election until stability can be guaranteed.

The inauguration will be attended also by the Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi.

Al-Bashir and Gadhafi are to meet in Chadian capital of N’djamena at the sideline of inauguration of President of Chad’s Idriss Debby.

“The meeting will focus on discussing ideas propounded for supporting Palestine and Lebanon”, Presidential Adviser Mustafa Osman Ismail said.

Deby accused Sudan of backing and arming the Chadian rebels, a charge denied by the government in Khartoum which has in turn accused Deby of supporting Sudanese anti-government insurgents in the violent Darfur region.

Chad broke off diplomatic relations with eastern neighbour Sudan in April after rebels fighting to oust him attacked the Chadian capital N’Djamena from the east.