Libya calls for Chad-Sudan meeting to diffuse border tension

Oct 31, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Following a meeting with the Sudanese president today, Libya’s Africa envoy called Tuesday for a high-level meeting between Sudan and Chad to defuse growing tensions between the neighbouring countries.

The head of the General People’s Committee for Liaison for Foreign Affairs, Abel Salam Triki, told the reporters “Both parties must have a meeting at foreign ministers’ level and of those in charge of security to end the tension.”

Triki, who Monday met in N’Djamena the Chadian president, Idriss Deby, expressed hopes that the situation would go back to normal. He called for a direct meeting to be held between the two sides or through committees and technicalities decided by the Tripoli summit.

He said “We see the need for the two sides to hold meetings at the levels of ministries of foreign affairs and security to solve the causes of tension, as well as build trust between the two countries.

The Libyan envoy said his meeting with the president of the republic touched on the situation in Darfur and the efforts made to establish peace in the region.

The Chadian government has accused Sudan of aiding rebels who are seeking to overthrow Deby, and who resumed hostilities last Sunday with an attack on a Chadian town near the borders with Sudan and the Central African Republic.

For its part, Sudan accuses Chad of providing refuge to rebels from Darfur.

Chad and Sudan officially agreed to normalise relations on August 8 through Libyan mediation.

(ST)