U.N. welcomes Sudan accord on wealth

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 07, 2004 (UPI) — The United Nations Wednesday welcomed the accord reached in Naivasha, Kenya, between the government of Sudan and rebels in the nation’s south.

The two sides signed an agreement to share the nation’s wealth, mostly from oil in the south of the nation, the largest in Africa.

A U.N. official said the world organization welcomed the progress made and pointed out Secretary-General Kofi Annan told reporters Tuesday he had been speaking to the two sides.

Annan said of the two sides: “They are making very, very good progress, and it is highly possible that before the end of this month they will have concluded an agreement. And that would be another big New Year gift to the people of Sudan and to the people of Africa.”

While agreeing to share that wealth evenly, the Khartoum government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army still have to reach an accord on administration of disputed areas, power sharing, parceling of jobs and whether the capital, Khartoum, should be governed by Islamic Sharia law. In September they reached a security accord.