Annan leaves Sudan without meeting Al-Bashir

KHARTOUM, May 29, 2005 (KUNA) — Due to bad climate preventing his domestic trip to Khartoum from Juba, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Kofi Annan departed from Sudan without meeting President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir.

According statements by UN Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS), Annan apologized, through a telephone conversation, to Al-Bashir for not being able meet because of the weather conditions.

With plans to visit Germany before returning to New York, Annan said, during the call, that he had spent an extra amount of time hoping the weather would improve, but he had to depart to Ethiopia to catch another plane to Germany.

During the three-day visit to Sudan, Annan met a number of Sudanese officials and opposition leaders, as well as members of UNMIS.