Eritrean President, SPLM delegation hold talks on bilateral relations

February 28, 2009 (ASMARA) – The Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki today held talks with the Sudanese foreign minister Deng Alor on the bilateral relations between the ruling parties in Asmara and Juba.

Alor, who is also a member of the SPLM Political Bureau accompanied by the deputy secretary general of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement Yasir Arman delivered a message from Salva Kiir to Afwerki on bilateral relations between the SPLM and the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) which is the only legal political party in Eritrea.

The two sides in a meeting held today in Asmara agreed that accords of joint cooperation between the PFJD and the SPLM didn’t make significant progress and pledged to redouble efforts to develop the historical and strategic relations between them.

On February 15, 2008, the two parties reached an understanding to strengthen bilateral and mutual cooperation, in line with the historical and strategic relations between Eritrea and the South Sudan, at the government and political levels.

During the past years, Asmara was a close ally to the Sudanese opposition forces including the SPLM. However the southern Sudan ruling party developed relations with other regional neighbors, including its arch-foe Ethiopia, more than with Asmara.

President Afwerki during the meeting urged for a comprehensive approach to resolve the Sudanese issue stressing that all the Sudanese parties should avoid targeting temporary interests.

Alor told local reporters upon his arrival to Asmara yesterday that there exists a good relation between Eritrea and Sudan and lauded the leading role Eritrea is playing towards resolving the Darfur crisis.

The SPLM delegation also met with representative of Darfur rebel groups in the Eritrean capital including the Revolutionary United forces Front and the Sudanese Federal Alliance. The two sides discussed the position of the rebel movement from the Doha process and the need to have common grounds between the rebel movements.

(ST)