Sanaa cooperation forum calls for peace in Sudan, Somalia

KHARTOUM, Dec 27, 2004 (Xinhua) — Leaders of the Sanaa Cooperation Forum, comprising Yemen, Sudan and Ethiopia, on Monday called for more efforts to realize peace in Sudan and Somalia.

Addressing the opening session of the summit, Sudanese President Omar El-Bashir expressed optimism that a comprehensive peace in Sudan would be realized soon.

He pointed to progress that the Sudanese government has made in peace talks with the Sudan Liberation Movement in Naivasha, Kenya, and with Darfur rebels in the Nigerian capital of Abuja.

He reiterated his country’s support for Somalian President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, who is present at the summit as an observer, in his efforts to realize security and stability and restore national unity in anarchic Somalia.

The Sudanese president announced an initiative for holding a conference of the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea countries to discuss peace, security, development, political integration, rational governing and democracy as well as human rights.

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, initiator of the forum, said the forum was open to all, especially Somalia, Djibuti and Eritrea.

He affirmed that all regional conflicts could be solved through dialogue rather than violence so as to realize peace, security and stability and sustainable development.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi called on the summit to enhance relations of cooperation among the three countries in political, economic, social, and cultural fields to make the forum an example for all the regional organizations.

The first summit of the forum was held in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa in October 2002, and the second in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in December 2003.