Egypt supports Sudan peace process, territorial integrity
June 1, 2006 (CAIRO) — Egypt is maintaining its regional and international efforts in support of Sudan in its endeavours to bring about reconciliation, peace and preserve its territorial integrity.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit has given clear-cut and definitive directives to the heads of all Egyptian diplomatic missions abroad to highlight Egypt’s firm stand towards the Sudanese question within the context of protecting Egypt’s national security, one of whose main planks is stability in Sudan, a diplomatic source said on Thursday.
Egyptian contacts are continuing round the clock and Egyptian diplomacy is actively expounding Cairo’s stance on backing the Sudanese attitude at all regional and international forums till peace and prosperity are achieved for all the Sudanese people.
The source referred to Egypt’s contribution through the donor countries’ conference held in 2004 to discuss rebuilding southern Sudan, with Egypt pledging to pitch in with 10m dollars.
Egypt has started to map out urgent plans to help reconstruct the war-torn Darfur region and has the intention to play a prominent role in this connection, the source added.
The source went on to say that Egyptian contacts were under way with all parties concerned with Sudanese affairs in a bid to persuade some armed groups which did not sign the Abuja peace agreement to do so, the official MENA reported.
Sending Egyptian forces to Darfur at present would be premature, the source pointed out.
The African Union’s Peace and Security Council is to hold a meeting within the coming few days in Addis Ababa to probe how to convince such groups as the Justice and Equality Movement to sign the Abuja agreement, the source added.
(ST)