Sudanese president ends visit to Egypt

CAIRO, Jan 18, 2004 (Xinhua) — Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir left here Sunday afternoon after holding a summit with his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak, Egypt’s official MENA news agency reported.

During the summit, the two leaders discussed the latest developments in the Sudanese peace process, Mideast issues and ways to boost bilateral ties, the report said.

The Sudanese president arrived here earlier in the day for a one-day visit.

Bashir’s visit to Egypt came at a time when hope for reaching a comprehensive peace deal between the Sudanese government and the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) looms in the wake of an agreement signed between the two sides on wealth sharing on Jan. 7.

The Sudanese government and the SPLA scored a breakthrough in peace in July 2002, when they agreed on a referendum on southern independence at the end of a six-year transition, but disputes on oil and power sharing as well as territories have hindered further progress.