Sudan Ethiopia border committee to meet Monday

November 18, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese-Ethiopian border committee is due to hold talks Monday at Police Club in Khartoum Monday.

Sudan and Ethiopia agreed in 2004 to demarcate the 1,600 km-long border after tension over the distribution of disputed land to Ethiopian farmers after the intervention of the Ethiopian army to clear some Sudanese villages on the border.

The bilateral border talks is expected to last for seven days, said the Director of the Police Border Administration, Maj. Gen. (Police) Mohamed Ahmed Onour.

The joint committee has paid inspection visit to joint border areas.

The Sudanese official referred to agreement between the Sudanese and Ethiopian parties on all issues. He said that the recent talks between the two parties were held in a cordial atmosphere and in the light of the distinguished relations between the two countries.

Onour said that the talks are aimed to reach a final agreement which is to be followed by demarcation of the joint Sudanese – Ethiopian border.

The relations between Sudan and Ethiopia were empoisoned by the issue of border demarcation in the past. The government of the ruling EPRDF is the first Ethiopian government to be willing to talk with Sudan on the border issue.

(ST)