Egypt voices concern over Sudan-Chad tensions

April 12, 2007 (CAIRO) — Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit expressed Egypt’s deepest concerns over the negative developments in the Sudanese-Chadian situation after the recent military confrontations between them.

In statements today, Egypt’s top diplomat asked the two sides to exercise self-restraint and to deal with this situation wisely to preserve neighborly ties binding them.

According to TTU, a Paris based newsletter on defence and strategy, Egypt has advised Chad to stop provocative incursions inside Sudanese territory reminding that it has a mutual defence treaty with the Sudan.

The two sides should adhere to Tripoli accord signed by Sudan and Chad to end growing tension between them and resume security cooperation in a bid to stop cross-border violations and organize monitoring operation along borders to avoid attempts aimed at destabilizing the entire region, he said.

Egypt regards both Sudan and Chad as friendly countries, he said, stressing its keenness on settling differences between them through peaceful means.

Chad said it routed a major rebel attack launched from Sudan on Monday to destabilize its government, but Khartoum accused Chad’s army of killing 17 of its troops.

Sudan’s defence minister, Abdelrahim Mohamed Hussein, yesterday accused Chad of allowing rebels to train on its territory and told parliament the country was prepared to take all measures to defend against aggression.

Chad denied any such deliberate assault, but said its forces had clashed with Sudanese troops after crossing the border to pursue Sudanese-backed rebels it accused of launching raids.

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir signalled he was looking for a diplomatic way out of a crisis with Chad that has seen the two neighbours threatening military action against each other.

(ST)