Tripoli summit on Darfur was successful – Eritrean president
ASMARA, May 18, 2005 (ERINA) — President Isaias Afwerki said that the summit meeting in Tripoli of seven African leaders was successful in it helps continued talks between the Sudanese government and Darfur opposition forces.
In the briefings he gave to reporters at Asmara International airport upon on his return from Libya today, the President pointed out that the summit meeting of seven African leaders, namely Eritrea, Libya, Sudan, Chad, Egypt, Nigeria and the Vice President of Gabon agreed on the continuation of talks between the Government of Sudan and Darfur opposition forces.
Regarding the nature of the peace process, Isaias said that the leaders reached understanding that this matter should be discussed at the forthcoming CEN-SAD meeting.
Underling that unilateral efforts in different quarters on the Darfur issue or for that matter towards resolving any problem cannot produce fruitful outcome, President Isaias explained that such an approach could not facilitate the search for a solution to the main issue, besides providing an opportunity to the parties that seek to run away from the peace process.
On the deployment of an AU peacekeeping force to Darfur, he underscored that it is unrealistic to expect that deploying an African peacekeeping force not equipped with either organizational competence or resource to an African area that is in a very complicated situation.
During his stay in Tripoli, President Isaias held talks with the Libyan leader, Muammar Al-Khadafi, on bilateral relations, the agreements on investment, cooperation and partnership that were reached earlier, as well as new ones.
The talks also focused on the peace process in Sudan and Somali and, at the international level on the reorganization of the United Nations.
He further indicated that they have agreed that a meeting of the Joint Eritrean-Libyan committee should convene in the near future. As regards regional and international issues, the President indicated that there exists common understanding between the two sides.
Pointing out that, in the course of his talks with the Libyan leader, he also met with President Omar Al-Beshir of Sudan, President Isaias explained that as far as the Eritrean government is concerned there exist, yesterday or today, no unresolved issues between Eritrea and the Sudan.
Moreover, the President noted that since 1994 Eritrea has been exerting efforts to promote a solution to the Sudanese problem, and reiterated that as ever Eritrea would work for the achievement of lasting peace in Sudan.