Chirac accepts invitation to visit Sudan

KHARTOUM, Nov 8 (AFP) — French President Jacques Chirac has accepted an invitation to visit Sudan from his counterpart Omar al-Beshir but a date has yet to be set, state radio said here Saturday.

The invitation came during a telephone call Friday from Beshir to Chirac, in which he “expressed gratitude for the role played by France in efforts to reach peace in Sudan,” and for a French “pledge to contribute to post-war rehabilitation and development”, the radio said.

Mediators have set a December target date for the government and southern rebels of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) to reach a definitive peace deal ending their 20-year civil war.