Sudanese president praises media’s “positive criticism”
May 28, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — President Omar al-Bashir, has praised Saturday the Sudanese press for what he described as drawing the attention of the political leadership in the country to diverse national issues.
“We have benefited from the positive criticism over the press, and we are tolerant of opposing viewpoints,” President Bashir affirmed.
Al-Bashir made the remarks during his keynote address before the first joint meeting of the National Congress Party leadership bureau and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement political bureau held at Friendship Hall in Khartoum.
The president said the joint meeting coincides with the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement and the initiation of the peace process in eastern Sudan. He attributed the success to what he termed “the great role of the Government of National Unity”.
Al-Bashir made 10-point objectives to be pursued during the three-day joint discussions, including consolidation of the democratic process, adherence to the principles enshrined in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, promotion of dialogue with other political parties, encouragement of voluntary North-South unity, observance of good governance, maintenance of national security and unification of Sudan’s external political discourse in order to preserve “our national sovereignty”.
Al-Bashir said that the meeting comes when Sudan is celebrating the first anniversary for the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, adding that convocation of the meetings coincided with other successes which were the signing of Darfur peace agreement and the beginning of negotiation to reach a third peace agreement for east Sudan.
He said that the national unity government has played a great role for the achievement of these successes. He reminded with the role of the late peace makers Dr John Garang and Al-Zubeir Mohamed Salih, affirming that the remembrance of these peace makers will motivate the joint work for the interest of the whole people of Sudan.
President Al-Bashir hoped that the meeting of the NC and SPLM will witness consultation on the best formula to participation and political cooperation between them. He reminded with the fact that the former visit of the SPLM to Khartoum before signing the peace agreement and during the negotiations in Abuja represented a landmark event in the march of joint cooperation and consultation between the two leading parties as well as a strong boost to the mutual confidence.
(ST)