Sudanese Salva Kiir to meet Chadian Deby, Darfur rebels

March 16, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese First Vice President will fly next week to N’djamena for talks with the Chadian President and to meet Darfur rebel groups opposed to a peace deal signed last year between the government and one rebel faction.

The fist vice-president and president of the Government of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, is to visit Chad on Monday March 19 during which he is to hold talks with the Chadian president, Idriss Deby and leaders of Darfur rebel groups which have not signed the Abuja agreement.

Speaking to Al-Ray al-Amm, the Sudanese ambassador to Chad, Abdallah Sheikh, said that Salva Kiir’s visit to N’djamena comes after the successful visit made by the state minister at the ministry of internal affairs, Aliu Ayang.

He added that the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement had, during the recent period, worked hard to normalize ties between the two countries.

In his meeting with the rebel groups Salva Kiir is expected to invite the holdout rebels to determine their demands and to adopt a joint position before peace talks with Khartoum.

(ST)