Sudanese, Yemeni, Ethiopian ministers’ meeting ends in Sanaa

BBC Monitoring Middle East

By Sudanese TV

SANAA, Nov. 02, 2003 — The third ministerial meeting of the Sudanese, Ethiopian and Yemeni foreign ministers, which began in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa last Saturday [1 November], has ended session.

In the final session, Sudanese External Relations Minister Dr Mustafa Uthman Isma’il read the Arabic text of the final communiqué, while the English text was read by Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin.

In the Sanaa Cooperation Grouping’s final communiqué the ministers lauded the proposals made by economic and cultural committees regarding cooperation in the field of sea transport.

The ministers expressed satisfaction and welcomed the [Sudanese] peace talks in Kenya. They also welcomed reconciliation in Somalia.

The communiqué referred to the ministers’ renewal of their countries’ commitment to fighting terrorism.

On the Middle East, the meeting called on the international community to implement the road map. The ministers called for restoration of peace and security to Iraq and the ending of occupation.

In the communiqué also, the meeting affirmed the document regarding the establishment of Sanaa Cooperation Group, which will be presented to the next summit scheduled to be held in the second half of December in Ethiopia.

The ministers reiterated that the three countries in the group would welcome those countries which share with them aims and objectives and were willing to become members.