Egypt denies nationals leaving Southern Sudan

Jan 8, 2005 (CAIRO) — The spokesperson of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Fatimah al-Zahra, denied yesterday reports on Egyptian nationals leaving Southern Sudan.

Al-Zahra added that the Egyptian consul in the Sudanese southern city of Juba is currently in Khartoum for consultations, the official MENA news agency reported.

Samson Kwaje, information minister in the government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) 5 January called on Egyptians to leave the region for their own safety Thursday following the killing of 28 Sudanese refugees by Egyptian police in Cairo last week, a spokesman told the official SUNA news agency.

In an emergency meeting chaired by the GOSS president, Lt. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, the cabinet condemned the massacre in the strongest terms and resolved to form a ministerial sub-committee to persuade Sudanese refugees in Egypt to return home.

(ST)