Sudan receives U.N. proposals on post-war humanitarian aid

KHARTOUM, Sep 13, 2003 (dpa) — The Sudanese government has received proposals from the United Nations on humanitarian, developmental and service needs for war affected areas following the signing of a peace agreement, the Foreign Affairs Minister said Saturday.

The minister, Mustafa Osman Ismael told journalists after meeting the U.N. special envoy on humanitarian affairs Tom Vraalsen that the government would study the proposals in the coming days.

Sudanese Vice President Ali Osman Taha and rebel leader John Garang are meeting in the Kenyan city of Naivasha to work-out a suitable formula to end two decades of civil war in Sudan.

But talks were reported to have suffered a setback as the government and rebels have refused to give concessions on major issues.

Mustafa said that Vraalsen would hand a copy of the same proposals to the Sudan Liberation Movement (SPLM) for verification.