Sudan, Eritrea bid to improve bilateral relations

KHARTOUM, Oct 10 (AFP) — Sudan and Eritrea on Monday agreed to work to improve relations between the two neighbours after years of strained ties dogged by rows and mutual accusations.

Welcoming an Eritrean delegation led by caretaker Foreign Minister Mohamed Omar, Sudanese Foreign Minister Lam Akol Ajawin said his government “welcomes and positively responds to the Eritrean bid for improving the ties between our two countries.”

Ajawin urged the two sides to “engage in positive official talks to agree on what the two countries can do together” towards an improvement of bilateral relations.

However Mohamed Omar expressed pleasure at his welcome in Sudan, which he said “reflects a good response to the Eritrean initiative”.

The Eritrean minister said the objective of the initiative was to enrich communication between the two countries, discuss ties and the way forward following the recent developments, as well as discuss ways of achieving peace and stability in the region.

The meeting was attended by state minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Asammani al-Wasila Asammani, and from the Eritrean side, the chairman of organizational affairs in the ruling party, Abdallah Jabir.

Relations between Khartoum and Asmara have been tense for years with each side claiming the other supports rebel groups on the other’s territory. Their common border has been closed since 2002.

Sudan has accused Eritrea of assisting the Eastern Front, an eastern rebel movement fighting to end years of alleged marginalisation by successive Islamic governments in Khartoum.

The strains erupted in June when Sudan accused Eritrea of giving military support to the Eastern Front, while Eritrea, for its part, lashed out at Sudan for abusing human rights in Darfur and elsewhere.

(ST/AFP)