China urges Sudan to solve political crisis through dialogue

October 16, 2007 (BEIJING) — China voiced its concerns on Tuesday over the political crisis in Sudan and urges relevant parties to settle their problems through dialogue and consultations.

“We believe the Sudan National Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) will proceed from the overall situation of national unity and reconciliation and safeguard the hard-won peace between north and south,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said.

He said China hopes they could resolve the issue through dialogue and consultations and make joint efforts to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) so as to push forward peace process in the country.

The SPLM, a former anti-government group in southern Sudan, decided last Thursday to suspend its partnership with the Sudanese central government and recall its senior officials in the government of National Unity.

The SPLM signed a peace agreement, the CPA, with the Sudanese government in 2005 according to which the ruling NCP is to share the political power with the SPLM in the government.

The NCP said it would conduct more consultations with its peace partner, the SPLM, to settle the political crisis between them.

(Xinhua)