NDA Opposition officials, Garang to meet 13 October over peace talks
BBC Monitoring Middle East
By Sudanese opposition National Democratic Alliance radio
OCTOBER 12, 2003 — A delegation from the [opposition] National Democratic Alliance [NDA] arrived in Nairobi on Friday 10 October, headed by Lt Gen Abdirahman Sai’d, in order to meet Dr John Garang on Tuesday [13 October] in Rumbek, southern Sudan.
It is expected that the NDA delegation will [first] head to Naivasha [Kenya] to meet the movement [Sudan People’s Liberation Movement SPLM] delegation and the IGAD [Inter-Governmental Authority on Development] secretariat, before heading to Rumbek to meet Dr John Garang.
A spokesman from the NDA Hakim [word indistinct] said the NDA arrival in Nairobi and Rumbek concerns its coordination and strengthening of consultation with the SPLM, as it is part of the NDA, as well as the importance it attaches to the process in the current round of talks, which originated from Naivasha.
Speaking to Al-ayam newspaper, Mr Hakim said the NDA carried some proposals to be forwarded so that the anticipated comprehensive peace agreement could be achieved, which embodies the aspirations of the Sudanese people. He disclosed details of a telephone conversation held between Al-Bashir’s peace advisor Dr Ghazi Salah- Din and the NDA leader, As-Sayyid Muhammad Uthman al-Mirghani, the day before yesterday.
Mr Hakim said that Dr Ghazi informed Mr Mirghani on the government readiness in seeking the NDA leaders, especially in the forthcoming broad-based government. He said Dr Ghazi stated that the government was ready to involve the political parties and the NDA in the peace process, preparation for elections and constitutional draft committee.
Responding to this, Mr Mirghani said “We welcome that and consider it positive [indication], but what is required now is practical [step].”
Dr Ghazi described the contact with Mirghani, the first of its kind to the NDA.