Egypt invites SLM faction leader for talks on Darfur
Dec 11, 2006 (CAIRO) — In the context of consultations with the Drafur rebel leaders, the Egyptian authorities invited Ahmed Abdelshafi Bassey, a leader of SLM/A faction,to hear his point of view on Darfur crisis.
Bassey, who met the Egyptian officials Monday, told Sudan Tribune from Cairo that they welcomed the Egyptian move because it pours in the context of the merger of all the current initiatives by regional and international actors.
He also informed the Egyptian authorities that all the SLM/A factions prepare for the holding of a general conference to reunite the movement and this remains the priority of his group.
He further told the Egyptian officials that Abuja deal didn’t bring peace in the region and called for a lasting solution for the roots of the crisis.
According to Bassey, Egypt would undertake a comprehensive initiative to end Darfur crisis.
Last month, Egypt invited the leaders of the National Redemption Front (NRF) to visit Cairo for consultation on Darfur crisis. The NRF delegation held talks with the Egypt’s intelligence chief Omar Suleiman who is in charge of the Sudanese dossier.
Since the end of September, Sudan accepted an Egyptian proposal to convene a meeting for Darfur rebels groups opposed to the Darfur Peace Agreement to discuss their demands and integrate it in an interpretive annex.
The proposal was formulated by President Hosni Mubarak to Sudanese al-Bashir who made a stopover in Cairo on his way back to Sudan after attending the 61st UN General Assembly session in New York on Thursday 21 September.
(ST)