Sudanese government, Darfur rebels to hold new round of peace talks in Chad
By Sudanese TV
KHARTOUM, Dec 10, 2003 — The two presidents – Staff Lt-Gen Umar al-Bashir, the president of the republic and Lt-Gen Idriss Deby, the president of the Republic of Chad – have held talks following a brief visit to Khartoum by President Deby, who was accompanied by a high-level ministerial delegation.
The talks focused on the issue of bringing about security and stability in Darfur. The two sides agreed that talks between the [Sudanese] government and those carrying arms in Darfur should be held in the Chadian town of Abeche.
The Chadian president commended the efforts being made by the Sudanese government to bring about security and stability.
[Deby in French fading into Arabic translation] Stability in Sudan means stability in Chad. We will work in concert and in a brotherly way to bring about security in the region [Darfur]. As you know, we are playing our role in mediating in the conflict in Darfur. We are at the moment endeavouring to convene a meeting between the two sides. We hope it will be the final one in resolving the Darfur problem. We will work in concert and in an atmosphere of solidarity and coordination in the interest of development in our countries and the region. I am hopeful that a final solution can be reached, thanks to the efforts of the president and the government of Sudan.
[Reporter] President Deby added that the meeting discussed bilateral issues and African issues of mutual interest, considering that both Chad and Sudan played an important role in the African scene.
For his part, the president of the republic, commended the role of President Deby in seeking a solution to the Darfur problem. He pointed out that stability in Sudan meant stability in Chad.
[Bashir] We discussed the future steps to be taken in order to find a lasting solution, God willing, to the security problems in Darfur, which has become a stumbling block between us in Sudan and Chad. Any laxity in security in Darfur will have a direct impact on Chad and vice versa. God willing, we will cooperate, soon, in the near future, so as to end the problem in Darfur and along the border between Sudan and Chad.
[Reporter] Meanwhile, the Chadian president has ended his brief visit to the country and was seen off at the airport by Staff Lt- Gen Umar al-Bashir, the president of the republic, a number of officials and members of the Chadian embassy in Sudan.
BBC Monitoring Newsfile