Sudanese radio reports progress at peace talks in Kenya

By Sudanese radio

KHARTOUM, Dec 11, 2003 — Reports from the outskirts of the Kenyan town of Naivasha say some progress has been made on the issues under discussion.

Dr Amin Hasan Umar, a member of the government delegation at the talks, said in an interview with the radio correspondent in Naivasha that the Kenyan foreign minister, Kalonzo Musyoka, yesterday met the first vice-president of the republic, Ali Uthman Muhammad Taha and Dr John Garang, the chairman of the people’s movement [Sudan People’s Liberation Movement] separately.

He said the talks continued with a meeting between the first vice- president and the chairman of the people’s movement. The negotiations centred on wealth-sharing. There are also intensive discussions under way about the distribution of resources.

He said the talks reviewed figures and budgets.

Concerning the setting up of a separate central bank by the movement, Dr Amin Hasan Umar said an agreement was reached to establish a single monetary authority represented by the Bank of Sudan. What remains, he said, was the composition of this authority, which would formulate a fiscal policy between the north and south.

Concerning the power-sharing and the three [marginalized] areas, his excellency said these issues were touched upon and some progress was made. He said the two sides were hoping to reach an agreement on all issues being discussed.

BBC Monitoring Newsfile