Sudan welcomes Libyan role in eastern Sudan talks

June 3, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Presidential Advisor Mustafa Osman Ismail, who was also a member of the Sudanese delegation to the Community of Sahel-Saharan States meeting in Libya, said that Sudan welcomed Libya’s role to try and bring about a peaceful settlement to eastern Sudan crisis.

Ismail has said that the Sudanese delegation discussed the issue of eastern Sudan with concerned country on the sidelines of the conference.

He said that Sudan affirmed that the government of national unity was ready to go to Eritrea and embark in talks with the concerned parties as was agreed upon during Vice-President Ali Osman Taha’s recent visit to Eritrea.

The Sudanese government and the rebel Eastern Front Thursday 25 May signed in the Eritrean capital an agreement on the procedural arrangements for their coming negotiations. The parties agreed to start talks on June 13.

The agreement called on Eritrea to play the role of the mediator in the coming negotiations between the two parties.

Sudan during long time insisted on the Libyan mediation for the Eastern Sudan peace talks. It accepted the Eritrean mediation last April and since different measures adopted to prepare the talks in Asmara.

(ST)