Sudan’s governing party to visit rebel stronghold amid peace moves

KHARTOUM, Dec 10 (AFP) — Delegates from Sudan’s governing party will travel to the rebels’ southern stronghold in a goodwill gesture ahead of an expected deal to end 20 years of civil war, President Omar al-Beshir said.

Beshir, quoted in Wednesday’s edition of Al-Anbaa newspaper, said National Congress Party (NCP) members would visit Rumbek in a few days to return the historic goodwill visit made by a rebel delegation to Khartoum in the last week.

Both the government and the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) expect to reach a final peace settlement during the current round of negotiations in Kenya.

Speaking at a meeting with the SPLM/A delegation late Tuesday, Beshir said the NCP visit to Rumbek would “outline plans for the future joint political action between the National Congress and the (rebel) movement without isolating anybody.”

Beshir was saying peace “is coming on schedule,” which is widely expected by the end of December.

He added he wished to see the people of Sudan “getting together for reconstruction and rehabilitation of the country” and expressed his concern to reach “a sustainable and just peace guarded by all Sudanese people.”

Beshir asked the delegation to extend his greetings to SPLM/A leader John Garang in reply to the greetings the delegation conveyed to him, according Al Anbaa daily.

The newspaper quoted SPLM/A spokesman Yassir Arman as saying his delegation briefed President Beshir on the meetings they held with the host NCP and other political and civil organisations during the visit.

“It was a fruitful meeting during which we briefed the president on the outcome of the visit,” said Arman, describing the visit as “a gigantic stride for building confidence.”

The meeting with Beshir was the last event by the SPLM/A delegation before their departure early Wednesday morning after five days of meetings and public rallies.