Vice-president sees Sudan moving towards dialogue, reconciliation

CAIRO, June 18, 2005 (Sudan Tribune) — The following is an excerpt from speech by Sudanese First Vice-President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha at the ceremony of the signing of the agreement between the Sudanese government and the opposition National Democratic Alliance in Cairo on 18 June, broadcast by Egyptian satellite TV on 18 June.

Sudan’s Vice President, Ali Osman Mohammed Taha waves after signing the Sudanese reconciliation accord between the Sudanese government and the National Democratic Alliance, an umbrella opposition grouping, in Cairo Saturday, June 18, 2005. (AP).

[Ali Osman Taha – In the name of the Merciful and the Compassionate. [interrupted by shouts of “Allah Akbar”]

Greetings to Your Excellencies Presidents Mohamed Hosni Mubarak and Omar Hassan al-Bashir and to all our brothers here present with us.

This is one of those days in Sudan’s history, a day in which the sons of Sudan, with the help of God, have shown their determination to move from the state of war and confrontation to dialogue and reconciliation. They have insisted on moving forward to a phase of building and participation until Sudan becomes stable, with its people happy and its neighbours in the Arab world and Africa happy with it. Thus, Sudan will be able to contribute positively in establishing regional and international stability.

It is also a day in which people who had made big efforts should be thanked. They are in the National [Democratic] Alliance, in the government delegation and in the delegation of the People’s Movement. They have worked tirelessly towards closing the gap between various positions in order to put the Sudanese higher interests above the narrow partisan or personal interests.

It is a day in which the sons of Sudan show that they are the true sons of Sudan when the situation requires and when wisdom and rationale are sought to overcome crises.

It is also a day for Egypt. A day in which its president, His Excellency President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, must be thanked for having sponsored these negotiations [interrupted by shouts of “Long live Egypt, long live Mubarak”] with his wisdom and his long-sightedness.

[Passage omitted: more thanks to Mubarak and his aides].

It is also a day for Africa and the Arab world in which Sudan is continuing its march forward, with steady steps towards peace, development and stability.

It is a day in which we stress that a new addition to the process of stabilization is made, hoping that more additions will follow in our conflict spots of Darfur and Eastern Sudan, so we accomplish our march, coming out stronger and united.

I think the atmosphere prevailing in this hall indicates that the barrier of doubt and caution has collapsed. The only concern for us all, in the south and in the north, with all our political forces, is Sudan and its dignity and stability [applause].

[Passage omitted: thanks to Al-Bashir and Sudanese people]

Material provided by the BBC Monitoring Service.