German official embarks on a rare visit to Sudan

February 16, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — A German official arrived in Sudan for talks on the Darfur conflict and other humanitarian issues.

Gernot Erler, German Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office met with his Sudanese counterpart Ali Karti today in his first series of meeting with officials there.

The Sudanese foreign ministry spokesperson Ali Al-Sadiq said that talks tackled bilateral ties and ways to bolster them.

The German official is scheduled to meet with Vice President Ali Osman Taha, as well as presidential advisers Ghazi Salah Al-Deen and Nafi Ali Nafi. He will also hold talks with the heads of the UN missions in South Sudan and Darfur; UNMIS and UNAMID.

Erler is the most senior German official to visit the East African country in a number of years.

Relations between the two countries have grown sour over Sudanese accusations that Germany has become the base for figures of Darfur rebel groups.

The German minister has called last week on Khartoum to cooperate with the international community on Darfur and enable humanitarian groups to operate in the region.

He further said that Sudan should work on halting violence by government forces and rebels in Darfur.

Sudan official news agency (SUNA) quoted Eller as saying that his visit come sin the framework of European interest in Sudan to follow developments in areas of stability and reconciliations.

He also said that he wants to find out the situation in Darfur and Abyei and preparations for the general elections to be held later this year.

German parliament approved a mandate for 75 observers to participate in the UNMIS, but there are less than 40 German serving in South Sudan.

(ST)