Chinese envoy arrives to Sudan for talks on Darfur
October 24, 2008 (KHARTOUM) – China special envoy for Darfur, Liu Guijin, arrived Friday in Khartoum for talks with the Sudanese official on the fifth visit since his appointment to the present post in May 2007.
Guijin told reporters at Khartoum airport that his visit comes after positive developments in the country as the Sudan’s people forum and the Qatari initiative. Expressing an appreciation for the concrete steps that had been taken by the Sudanese government for resolving the Darfur issue, Liu expressed hope that the Sudanese government would take more actions in this direction.
“The political process should be restored,” Liu said, underlining China’s willingness to work with the Sudanese government, the African Union and other parties concerned to advance the Darfur peace process.
He also said that his current visit to Sudan was “the follow-up of a visit paid by Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Zhai Jun in Sudan last month as a special envoy of the Chinese government.”
Zhai visited Khartoum during the first week of September where he advised the Sudanese government to cooperate with the International Criminal Court over the two cases of Darfur crimes of war and genocide.
The Chinese official promised to press European countries not to stand in the way of a UN Security Council resolution suspending Al-Bashir’s indictment. However Sudan rejected the any direct contact with the world tribunal despite regional and international recommendation to accept it.
(ST)