Darfur SLM delegation arrives to Sudanese capital

June 26, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — A vanguard delegation from the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM)- Minawi faction led by Abdelkarim Al Sheikh and a number of senior officials arrived in Khartoum evening Monday.

The delegation was received at the airport by al-Fatih Mohamed Saeed, the State Minister at the Ministry of Health and the Head of the Joint Committee for the reception of the vanguard delegation.

In a press statement at Khartoum Airport, Al Sheikh has said that the delegation includes senior military and political leadership from the movement as well as secretaries of her various secretariats and member of the Revolutionary Liberation Council.

He conveyed the greeting of the chairman of the movement Minni Minawi and his deputy and secretary general of the movement who, he said would soon be arriving in Khartoum for the full implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA).

He expressed hope that the delegation would find the credibility and the transparency so that the agreement would be fully implemented.

The head of the delegation has hailed the Sudanese people and the citizens of Darfur in particular, as well as the international community and friends and partners of the DPA. He said the delegation would begin its activities as of tomorrow Tuesday in Khartoum.

While Saeed has welcomed the delegation saying with the signing of the DPA the bleeding wound of Darfur has began to heal now. He pointed tout that the two sides have much in common to act upon for the implementation of the DPA.

He appealed to the holdout rebel groups that have not signed the deal to come forward and sign the agreement and join the peace march. He said the Sudan was now promised a huge progress that would need conversion of all the efforts and collaboration of its citizens.

(ST)