Eritrea wishes consummation of Sudan’s peace deal

ASMARA, May 28, 2004 (Shabait) — [Eritrean] Foreign Minister Ali Seid Abdella expressed Eritrea’s desire and expectation of the consummation of the Protocol Agreement just concluded in Naivasha, Kenya, between the Government of Sudan and the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).

He made the statement yesterday on return home from Kenya where he participated in the signing ceremony of the agreement.

Minister Ali Seid stated that the Sudanese peace process has been going on under the auspices of IGAD starting from the Machakos Accord to the Naivasha peace negotiations between the Sudanese Government and the SPLM for the past nine months.

Pointing out the significance of the latest agreement reached towards resolving the Sudanese problem that had resulted in the death of up to 2 million people, Mr. Ali Seid indicated that the two sides have asserted their readiness to work for its implementation at the signing ceremony.

Noting the Eritrean Government’s persistent efforts since early 1994 to bring together the two parties and taking the initiative of starting the peace process in Asmara, in line with its policy of promoting regional peace and stability and as an active member of IGAD, the Foreign Minister noted that IGAD pursued this initiative and pushed it forward. In this regard, Mr. Ali Seid explained that the endorsement of the peace process in Machakos was not in essence different from that mapped out by Eritrea.Underlining that the agreement reached between the Sudanese Government and the SPLM would create peace and stability not only to the Sudanese people but to the entire region as well. During the signing ceremony, the Foreign Minister delivered a message of congratulations from President Isaias Afwerki to both parties.

The Protocol Agreement reached in Naivasha provides for the sharing of power and administrative authority between the Sudanese Government and the SPLM regarding three contested areas in central Sudan, southern areas in Nil Al-Azreg (Blue Nile) and the Nuba-Abyey Mountains.

Mr. Ali Seid stated that the Protocol Agreement concluded in Naivasha represents a significant move vis-à-vis the signing of a final and general Sudanese peace agreement, which is expected to be signed next July. Following that, Sudan would be administered by the two parties for the next 6 years of the transitional period.