Sudan’s Bashir travels to Syria for talks with Assad on Gaza crisis

January 11, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir will make a previously unannounced visit to Damascus for talks with his counterpart Bashar Al-Assad on the Israeli offensive in Gaza strip.

The Kuwaiti News Agency (KUNA) quoting unidentified sources said that the visit comes as part of Syria efforts to convene an emergency Arab League summit to discuss the Palestinian issue and stop the Israeli assault and lifting the siege.

KUNA further said that Al-Bashir will meet with exiled Hamas leader Khalid Meshaal who resides in Damascus and other leaders of Palestinian factions.

The 17-day-old assault on the Gaza Strip sparked a number of demonstrations in Sudan with wide scale mobilization to send emergency relief supplies.

Sudan sent two planes carrying aid through the Egyptian borders and the governor of Khartoum announced that employees in his state will donate one day worth of salary to the people of Gaza.

In an interview with Al-Jazeera television, Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir urged Arab countries not to normalize ties with Israel and to review their relations with the United States.

(ST)