Sudan’s Bashir to meet Eritrea’s Afewerki Saturday
Oct 11, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese president will meet the Eritrean president on the sideline of the signing ceremony of the Eastern Sudan peace agreement, the state-run SUNA reported.
President al-Bashir flanked by his First Vice President Salav Kiir will attend the signing of the Eastern Sudan Peace deal in the Eritrean capital Asmara.
The Arab League Secretary General Amr Musa and the Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit will also be present at the signing.
This will be the first meeting for the two presidents, since the public statement made by Bashir accusing Eritrea of supporting Darfur rebel National redemption Front last month.
According to London based Asharq Alawsat, Sudan has asked Eritrea to lead a mediation with Darfur rebel groups opposed to Abuja peace deal signed last May with a faction of the SLM led by Minni Minawi.
The pan-Arab daily said the two leaders with discuss the details of the mediation on Saturday.
Two of Darfur rebel leaders are in Asmara since the signing of the Darfur peace deal : Ahmed Abdulshafi Bassey and Abdelwahid Mohamed Nur while the leaders of the National Redemption Front (NRF) have good relations with the Eritrean authorities.
Eritrea ruling People Front for Democracy and Justice and Sudan’s National Congress Party agreed to cooperate in regional and international issues, bilateral relations, at the end of August.
President Isyas Afewerki, last June visited Khartoum
The mounting pressure on the Sudanese government may disturb Khartoum’s plans to launch a mediation between Eritrea and Ethiopia after the signing of Eastern Sudan peace agreement.
(ST)