Sudanese opposition leader to hold talks in Nairobi

NAIROBI, Feb 21, 2004 (Sudan Tribune) — The Sudanese opposition National Democratic Alliance has initiated a serial of contacts with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement to manage the visit of the NDA Chairman Mohamed Osman al-Merghani to Naivasha.

Al-Mergahi is expected to hold meeting with the Sudanese vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha and the Chairman of the SPLM Dr. John Garang, the London based Asharq al-Awast said today.

A high rank delegation from the NDA will precede al-Merghani to Naivasha next week. The al-Merghani’s Cabinet director Gaffar Ahmed Abdellah has already arrived to Nairobi.

The NDA in its last meeting, held in Asmara from February 13 to 15, has agreed to form an NDA/GoS peace follow-up committee by provision of the Jeddah Agreement.

Chairman al-Merghani talks with Garang and Taha in Naivasha would expectedly inaugurate the NDA-GoS agreement concerning the NDA negotiating participation in the peace talks.

Led by Farouq Abu Eisa, Head of the NDA Constitutional and Legal Affairs’ Committee, the NDA delegates will make contacts with IGAD countries and partners to discuss the NDA participation in the current round of the Naivasha peace talks.

The Khartoum government and Sudan’s main rebel group resumed last week peace talks in Kenya aimed at ending 21 years of devastating civil war.

Negotiations between Taha and Garang, scheduled to end on March 16, will focus on the remaining issues of the status of three disputed areas, namely Abyei, Nuba Mountains and Southern Blue Nile, as well as sharing of political and administrative powers.