Egypt, Libya coordinate efforts for success of Darfur peace talks

September 24, 2007 (TRIPOLI) — Egyptian and Libyan leaders met today here to discuss ways to coordinate their joint action in order to ensure success of the forthcoming peace talks between Sudanese government and the rebel groups next month.

Talks held on Monday by visiting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and leader of the Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi had mainly dealt with the current conditions in Sudan’s western region of Darfur, said Egyptian presidential spokesman Suleiman Awad.

The two leaders also discussed continued consultations between the two countries to render the negotiations to be held in Tripoli on 27 October between the Sudanese government and Darfur leaders a success, he said.

Discussion also covered bilateral relations, with a focus on fields of trade, investment in addition to the conditions of Egyptian workforce in Libya, he added.

The Tripoli meeting aims to broaden the Darfur peace agreement (DPA) signed in May 2006 between Khartoum and the main Darfur rebel movement to include those groups which did not sign it.

(ST)