Sudan’s embassy in Chad to re-open next week
August 9, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan will re-open its embassy in Ndjamena within one week, just three months after severing its diplomatic relations with the neighbouring Chad last May.
In response to a Libyan mediation, Sudan and Chad on August 1, agreed to restore bilateral relations and stop media campaigns. Also, the president of the two countries agreed to take part in tripartite summit with the Libyan leader.
Sudan’s ambassador to Chad, Abdallah al-Sheikh announced in Khartoum yesterday that the embassy would resume work next on Saturday 16 August. He further said the foreign ministry was undertaking the necessary financial and administrative measures.
Since the visit of the Libyan minister for African Affairs, Abdel-Salam Triki to the two capitals earlier this month, Sudan and Chad stopped hostile media campaigns as they committed themselves to.
Bashir and deby have to hold a tripartite summit with the Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi but no date is fixed for the meeting.
The main issue to be discussed between the two presidents is how to stop their support to the rebel groups in their respective countries. At three times in the past the two countries failed to implement the signed non aggression and reconciliation pacts.
The U.S. envoy to Sudan Richard Williamson met last Thursday with the Chadian president to encourage him to support international efforts to achieve peace in Darfur.
Since the indictment of the Sudanese president by the ICC prosecutor on July 14, different presidential envoy visited the African capitals to raise support regional support for Omer al-Bashir, but none travelled to Ndjamena.
Relations between Sudan and Chad are very volatile since 2004 when Khartoum started to suspect N’Djamena of backing Darfur rebels. Since, the two countries accuse each other of supporting internal armed opposition.
(ST)