Sudan’s govt, opposition alliance to hold talks in Cairo

CAIRO, Oct 16, 2004 (Xinhua) — The Sudanese government and the opposition factions will hold talks here soon under the auspices of Egypt, official MENA news agency reported Saturday.

Representatives from the opposition factions have arrived in Cairo to join the second round of talks between the government and the Sudanese [Nationa Democratic Alliance (NDA)], MENA said.

NDA deputy leader Abdel-Rahman [Saeed] was quoted as saying that a delegation of [Sudan] Liberation Movement from the troubled Darfur area in western Sudan will also attend the Cairo dialogue following a five-way African summit in Libya on the Darfur issue.

The Sudanese government and the NDA held the first round of procedural negotiations in Cairo in August, also fostered by Egypt,which yielded an agreement on holding the second round of direct negotiations between the government and more opposition factions based on a 13-item agenda.

As a regional power and close neighbor to Sudan, Egypt has played significant role in seeking peaceful solution to Sudan problems.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will participate in the activities of the planned five-way African summit which opens on Sunday in Libya to find a solution for Darfur crisis with leaders of Libya, Sudan, Chad and Nigeria which chairs the African Union (AU).

According to a UN report, the Darfur crisis, which began 20 months ago, has so far claimed many lives, with much more displaced.

The AU has deployed some 300 soldiers to the Darfur region to protect about 150 observers, who are monitoring a ceasefire reached in April between Khartoum and Darfur rebel groups.