Sudanese peace talks to break 22 January, Taha to head for Mecca

By Sudanese opposition Democratic Unionist Party web site

KHARTOUM, Jan 21, 2004 — Sudanese papers today said the [Sudanese] peace talks which are currently taking place in the Kenyan town of Naivasha between the government and the SPLM [Sudan People’s Liberation Movement], would be suspended starting from Thursday [22 January] until after the [Muslim feast of] Id al-Adha, which is scheduled for the first week in February.

The Sudanese paper Al-Hayyat said the peace talks would be suspended on Thursday and the first vice-president, Ali Uthman Muhammad Taha, would return to Khartoum on Friday [23 January].

The paper added that Taha would leave for Mecca [Saudi Arabia] to perform the holy pilgrimage.

BBC Monitoring Middle East