Sudanese vice-president, rebel leader Garang meeting in Kenya 16 October

BBC Monitoring Middle East

By Al-Khartoum daily newspaper

KHARTOUM, Oct. 16, 2003 — The ongoing peace negotiations on the outskirts of Naivasha, [central] Kenya, enters a sensitive stage tomorrow. The first vice- president, Ali Uthman Muhammad Taha and the leader of the people’s movement [the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, SPLM] Dr John Garang will head the government and SPLM delegations, respectively.

The talks will discuss disputed issues which have not been resolved in addition to power and wealth sharing and the three regions [the Nuba Mountains, Abyei and Southern Blue Nile]. The two sides will enter into direct talks without the participation of any mediators.

The first vice-president leaves for Naivasha today and his arrival is set to coincide with that of Dr Garang.

A source close to the negotiations told Al-Khartoum the negotiating committees from the two sides who will be discussing the issues power and wealth and the three regions will present their findings and issues which have not been resolved to the heads of the two delegations who will them conduct direct negotiations tomorrow, Friday. The source added that the atmosphere at the venue of the talks is positive.