SPLM and Turabi’s party call for peace implementation
September 12, 2009 (JUBA) — The Southern Sudan ruling party and the opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP) agreed to enhance their political relations and called today to implement the outstanding issues in 2005 peace deal, and to exert needed efforts to end the Darfur conflict.
Speaking to the press after his arrival to Juba, he said his visit aims to consult with the SPLM leadership to overcome differences on the results of the census and ways to ensure fair elections next year.
The Sudanese First Vice President and President of southern Sudan government, Salva Kiir and Al-Turabi discussed on Saturday evening the implementation of the 2005 peace agreement and the next year election.
The two political forces, in a statement released following the meeting, said agreed to strengthen their political relations and reaffirmed their support, to implement the outstanding issues of the peace agreement, including running of fair election and 2011referendum in a favorable environment; in addition to push forward the peace process to resolve Darfur conflict.
The SPLM and PCP also supported efforts to enhance diversity, multicultural and multiethnic society which are seen as crucial for peaceful coexistence between the Sudanese.
The views (of the two leasers) were very close “if not identical” said Abdallah Deng Nhial, the PCP deputy secretary general.
The PCP and the SPLM had signed a political agreement in Geneva in February 2001 that had caused Turabi detention at the time. However the SPLM after the signing of the CPA and Garang death marked its distance from Turabi’s party and the rest of its former allies from the opposition forces.
But, PCP spokesperson Al-Mahboub Abdel-Salam welcomed an invitation extended by the SPLM to the opposition parties to meet in the upcoming weeks saying it revives hopes to achieve democratic transition in the country.
(ST)