Sudanese Vice-President Taha visits Ethiopia today

BBC Monitoring Middle East

By Sudanese radio

KHARTOUM, Oct. 13, 2003 — The first vice-president of the republic, Ali Uthman Taha, will head to Ethiopia today for a one day visit to brief Ethiopian officials on the progress made in the recent peace process regarding the framework agreement on security and military arrangements, besides other successful arrangements that have led to the current round of talks.

The vice-president will also hold talks with the Ethiopian prime minister, Meles Zenawi, on bilateral ties between Khartoum and Addis Ababa, and ways of strengthening it to a higher status.

Speaking to the Radio, the Sudanese ambassador to Addis Ababa, Uthman As-Sayid, said the vice-president will, during his visit, meet the AU high commissioner to brief him on the prevailing situation in the country, and convey to him the Sudanese appreciation, both from the government and people, to the AU for its concern in the peace issue.

His excellency will also meet Ambassadors from Arab, Africa and Asian countries based in Ethiopia, besides meeting UN representatives there, to elaborate on the latest peace process and Sudan’s viewpoint on the matter.