Chances for holding opposition leaders’ quadripartite summit diminish

By Sudanese opposition Democratic Unionist Party web site

KHARTOUM, Nov. 28, 2003 — Chances of convening a meeting between the leaders of the four [main] opposition parties, the chairmen of the Democratic Unionist Party, Dr Muhammad al-Uthman al-Mirghani, the Ummah Party, Mr Al- Sadiq al-Mahdi, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, John Garang, and the secretary-general of the Popular National Congress, Dr Hasan al-Turabi, have continued to diminish. The meeting could have convened in Paris. The French foreign minister is said to have informed the concerned leaders that its programme for the coming period was congested, an issue which interpreted as a mild excuse.

It has been established that Washington was not enthusiastic to holding of this meeting because it viewed as an attempt to disintegrate the peace efforts and divert attention from the peace process. Other capitals which have good relations with the opposition have also told the opposition that they not pleased with the proposal which has been adopted by Al-Turabi.

Meanwhile, the opposition leaders have proposed the convention of the same meeting in South Africa although the SPLM has announced its readiness to host the meeting in Rumbek town, which is located in the areas it controls in the south of the country.

BBC Monitoring Middle East