Leaders continue with talks as government turns down extension’s request
BBC Monitoring Middle East
Sudanese TV
NAIVASHA, Kenya, Oct. 26, 2003– [Newscaster] Bilateral talks between the first vice-president of the republic, Ustadh [honorific] Ali Uthman Muhammad Taha, and the leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement [SPLM], John Garang, were still continuing until this morning in the Kenyan resort of Naivasha. The aim is to reach an understanding on the issues on the agenda.
For more information, on the line from the HQs of the talks is our reporter Mamun Uthman. Mamun, some reports have said the IGAD [Inter-Governmental Authority on Development] secretariat has requested the two parties for the current round of peace talks to be extended for one week, how far is that true? And if so, what is the position of the government on the idea of the extension?
[Mamun] Hello! Muhammad Uthman al-Imam and the viewers. God bless you all on the advent of the holy month [of Ramadan]. It is true that through its envoy Gen Sumbeiywo, the IGAD secretariat had requested the two parties to the negotiations to allow the extension of this round of talks, but the government disagreed for this round to continue [words indistinct]. The government saw that the extension should be related to the progress made in the talks and not the return to raising issues which had been settled in the previous rounds. The position of the government was clear. It committed itself to the timing of this round 16 – 25 [October], which coincided with Saturday yesterday. The government has committed itself to that date. Therefore, this round [of talks] will end, the government will return to Khartoum and it will return to the next round when it is scheduled. This is the situation of the government on the talks.
[Muhammad] Taha and Garang are continuing their intensive talks until this hour, from your follow up, what is the fate of the talks considering these meetings?
[Mamun] This round, which is focusing on the three issues: power, wealth and the three regions, continued until the early hours of this morning and up until this moment. The first vice-president met Dr John Garang this morning for one full hour. An hour and half from this time, Gen Lazarus Sumbeiywo, who returned from Uganda to present a report to IGAD leader on the progress of talks between the Sudanese government and the SPLM, met the first vice-president and the Norwegian minister of international cooperation, Hilde Johnson, who arrive at the venue of the talks this morning.
It is hoped that another meeting will bring together the IGAD secretariat, the first vice-president, Hilde Johnson and Dr John Garang, through which, perhaps, a joint statement on the results of this round will be drawn up and through which the end of this round would be declared. Muhammad, part of the government delegation arrived in Khartoum this morning. Some of them will arrive this evening, God willing.
[Muhammad] Our reporter Mamun Uthman from Naivasha