Opposition leaders attend consultation in Eritrea on Sudanese peace process

BBC Monitoring Middle East

By Sudanese opposition National Democratic Alliance radio

ASMARA, Nov. 09, 2003 — Members of [National Democratic] Alliance’s [NDA] leadership council yesterday evening held consultations in the Eritrean capital, Asmara. The meeting was attended by [Sudan] People’s [Liberation] Movement [SPLM] Chairman John Garang, who arrived there the day before yesterday.

The meeting, which was chaired by NDA leader Mawalana [honorific] Muhammad Uthman al-Mirghani, had focused on the latest developments in the peace process, coordination and preparation for the next round of peace talks.

Al-Mirghani and Dr Garang had held bilateral talks a earlier and Dr Garang gave a detail briefing on the recent peace talks and SPLM’s efforts to transform the expected agreement into a comprehensive one.

Meanwhile, a diplomatic source in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, said that SPLM leader Dr John Garang last week held a meeting with the deputy chairman of the African Union and officials, and discussed the Sudanese peace process