Russian envoy to visit Sudan with businessmen, MPs
March 7, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Russia’s Special Envoy to Sudan Mikhail Margelov will begin a four-day visit to Sudan on Tuesday, March 9. He will be heading a delegation that includes businessmen and parliamentarians.
During the upcoming visit, the Russian envoy will be holding talks with state officials on bilateral relations between the two countries as well as the latest developments in Sudan, according to the state Sudan News Agency.
He will also be holding talks with the head of the National Elections Commission, political leaders and leaders of civil society organizations.
The Russian envoy last December drew some fire for comments seemingly in support of President Al-Bashir’s election bid in the forthcoming April polling. He was quoted by the Russian Ria Novosti news agency’s Arabic service as saying “I have not yet seen this alternative [to Bashir]…”. He added he had tried to convince Western nations in January 2009 that the arrest warrant against Al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court (ICC) – which was issued thereafter in March — “is not viable and unrealistic”.
Margelov suggested further that he was sceptical that there were any other viable candidates for the nation’s presidency. He said too, “There is an emerging feeling that the ICC decision on arresting the current Sudanese president was rushed and politicized”.
The Russian official was also involved in efforts to pressure rebel groups into talks with the Government of Sudan. On October 21, 2009, he met for the first time the leadership of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement during a visit to the Chadian capital Ndjamena.
(ST)
Time1
Russian envoy to visit Sudan with businessmen, MPs
Russia is a key partner in Sudan without any doubt, as one of super powers, Russia’s presence in Sudan is required to bring all sides together, also the trade excahnge with Russia is important, we like to thank Mikhail Margelov for his hard work toward consolidating relations between all sides, Russia should continue its presence in Sudan and Africa at large, not only Russia but all other countries should work toward consolidating better relations between all sides of the world.