Sudan’s president says politicians must change in anticipation of peace

By Mohamed Osman Associated Press Writer

KHARTOUM, Sudan, Dec 31, 2003 (AP) — Peace will entail change on the part of politicians in the government-controlled part of Sudan, President Omar el-Bashir said Wednesday.

In a speech to mark Sudan’s national day and the golden jubilee of parliament, el-Bashir said legislators had to prepare themselves for a new era that will start when a final peace settlement is agreed with southern rebels.

Talks to end the 20-year civil war are under way in Kenya between representatives of the government and the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell visited the venue in October and urged both delegations to strive to reach a comprehensive agreement by the end of the year. The year passed without a final accord, but in December the two sides did agree on how to divide the country’s oil revenue – an issue that had been a major stumbling block.

“The new era requires a new commitment to change our own selves,” the president told legislators Wednesday.

The interim accords envisage a six-year transitional period, a referendum on self-determination for southerners, and a democratic Sudan where human rights are respected.

Opposition parties in northern Sudan have often boycotted elections, claiming they are not fully free and fair. Rights groups and the U.S. Embassy have also criticized el-Bashir’s government for suspending newspapers’ licenses and curbs on press freedom.

El-Bashir praised the role played by the United States, Europe, Africa and Arab countries in promoting the peace process.