Sudanese president, Nigerian counterpart discuss Darfur
Dec 19, 2005 (ABUJA) — The Sudan-Nigeria summit in Abuja discussed bilateral relations and efforts being made to achieve peace in Darfur as well as Sudan’s hosting of the AU summit in next month.
Presidents Omar al-Bashir and Nigeria’s Olusegun Obasanjo today held discussions in Abuja. The two leaders discussed bilateral relations and ways of bolstering it in all fields.
The presidential adviser who is also the head of the government delegation at the Abuja peace talks, Majzoub al-Khalifah, said the two leaders reviewed the ongoing arrangements on the forthcoming AU summit in Khartoum slated for January.
The meeting also touched on the progress being made in the implementation of the peace agreement besides efforts being made to achieve a peaceful settlement to the Darfur crisis through the Abuja talks, under the auspices of AU.
Obasanjo assured al-Bashir of continued talks between the government and the Darfur rebels until a peaceful settlement is realized on the issue.
Nigerian President briefed his Sudanese counterpart on the contacts being made to hold a five-party summit to include leaders of Sudan, Niger, Chad, Libya and Nigeria in a bid to give impetus to the Abuja peace talks.
The two leaders stressed the significance of holding this summit ahead of the AU summit in Khartoum in January.
On his part, al-Bashir expressed his appreciation of the role that Nigeria as a country, and President Obasanjo are playing in contributing towards resolving the Darfur crisis through the ongoing Abuja peace talks. He stressed the role of the AU and the Nigerian president in hosting the talks until the Darfur issue is resolved.
(ST)