Sudanese opposition leader asks Egypt to push for Cairo deal implementation

March 30, 2008 (CAIRO) — The leader of the opposition Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) urged Egypt to strengthening the implementation of a peace deal signed in Cairo between Sudanese government and northern opposition forces.

NDA chairman Mohamed Osman Mirghani, left, and John Garang, former leader of SPLM, right, wave to their supporters before signing the Sudanese reconciliation accord in Cairo between the Sudanese government and the NDA, an umbrella opposition grouping, Saturday, June 18, 2005. (AP).

Khartoum government and the opposition National Democratic Alliance, signed “Cairo Agreement” on June 18, 2005. Brokered by Egyptian government, the agreement deals with the democratic transition and to the consolidation of a comprehensive peace process in the whole country.

Mohamed Osman al-Mirghani in a meeting held on Sunday with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Ahmed Abul Gheit, asked Cairo to convene a meeting between the Sudanese government and the National Democratic Alliance to discuss the implementation of Cairo Agreement.

The chairman of the Sudanese opposition alliance said he stressed on the importance of the Egyptian role to boost the full implementation of the deal.

Al-Mirghani who is the only opposition leader to remain outside the country despite the signing of the deal since three years announced recently his imminent return to Sudan.

A delegation led by one of his sons arrived last week to Khartoum to prepare his arrival to Khartoum.

In Khartoum the ruling National Congress Party stressed that much of progress is achieved in the dialogue with the DUP in order to prepare an agreement to be signed between the two parties following al-Mirghani’s return.

Mohamed Mahdi Mandour, the NCP Political Secretary said the joint committee between the two parties approved the draft of the agreement dealing with all the political issue including the democratic transition.

He stressed the NCP participation in the reception in Mirghani as one of the outstanding symbols of the country and said that the leader of the DUP will attend besides the head of the NCP the signing of the agreement between the two parties.

(ST)