Russian envoy praises Sudan’s cooperation with international observers
March 13, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – The Russian special envoy said Sudanese authorities are well cooperating with international community in the preparation and monitoring of the forthcoming general elections next month.
Mikhail Margelov, is in the country since three days for talks with the Sudanese officials on preparations for the elections but also is accompanied by a big businessmen delegation which conducts meeting with the Sudanese official on different development projects.
“One has the impression that the Sudanese authorities and political forces can turn an attentive ear to what is being said to them by the international mediators and the representatives of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council,” Margelov said
“They can drop some stereotypes that hindered their cooperation with the United Nations Organization in the past and they are prepared to interact with various international organizations,” he added.
Margelov has held a series of meetings with the Sudanese government officials, and the ruling National Congress Party as well as the opposition forces. He also met with the newly appointed head of the UN Mission in Sudan.
A team of observers from Russia will travel to Sudan to supervise the April general elections in Sudan. They will join Carter center, the African Union, the Arab League, the European Union and the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
The presidential envoy said that such cooperation fits well with “the Sudanese authorities’ intention to ensure there should be honest, fair, free and transparent elections and that the election returns should not arouse anyone’s doubts inside that country or elsewhere”.
Sudanese will elect a president of the republic, national legislators, the governor of the state, Also southern Sudanese will elect a president for the semi-autonomous region.
The presidential race involves 12 aspirants, including incumbent Omer Al-Bashir, who rules the country since 1989, as well as former premier Sadiq Al-Mahdi, and the SPLM runner Yasir Arman. As for the legislature, the 450 seats are contested by over 4,000 aspirants from 66 parties and political movements.
Darfur rebels who are holding peace talks with the government in Doha in order to end the seven year conflict, ask Khartoum to delay the election and to prioritize peace but the ruling NCP rejects such call and say rebel should conclude peace before election.
(ST)