Regional mini-summit in Khartoum ends with call for peaceful referendum
December 21, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – The Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Libyan leader Muammar Al-Gaddafi held closed talks with Sudanese President Omer Hassan al-Bashir and his Vice President Salva Kiir on Tuesday which focused on the South Sudan referendum that is to take place in three weeks time.
“The summit recognizes the depth of the links between the north and the south of Sudan and the importance of building solid relations based on mutual benefit, peace, stability and economic development,” said a short statement read out by Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul-Gheit afterwards.
“The two sides undertook to maintain cooperative relations based on these principles and also agreed to refrain from any step that might disturb the holding of the referendum,” he added.
The leaders also called for a “peaceful, calm, transparent and credible environment that will reflect the will of southern Sudan’s people”, according to Sudan state radio.
They said they would respect the will of the southern Sudanese, whatever the outcome of the referendum.
The summit lasted for two hours after which Mubarak and Al-Gaddafi flew back home.
The two sides have been discussing without success since July the key sticking points of future citizenship arrangements, the sharing out of natural resources — particularly oil — security and compliance with international accords, notably on water allocation from the Nile.
They have also yet to find common ground on the disputed oil district of Abyei which had supposed to be holding a simultaneous vote on its own future that has been delayed by disagreements over who should have a ballot.
Sudanese foreign minister Ali Karti said that the leaders were assured on the resolution of many outstanding items between North and South and that they are serious on completing the CPA implementation.
U.S. President Barack Obama has written this month to Gaddafi, Mubarak and other leaders in the region stressing Washington’s desire to see a peaceful and successful voting process.
(ST)