French minister of state for foreign affairs to visit Sudan Sunday
KHARTOUM, June 17, 2004 (SUNA) — The French Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Renaud Muselier, heading a high-level delegation, is due to begin a 4-day official visit to Sudan Sunday.
SUNA learnt that the French Minister will meet President Al-Bashir, the First Vice President, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and State Minister for Foreign Affairs, focusing on bilateral relations and the developments in the peace process and the situations in Darfur.
A press statement issued by the French Embassy in Khartoum explained that the French Minister will pay visit to the states of Darfur to get acquainted with the situations of the internally displaced persons as well as meeting the local authorities and the organizations operating there in the field of humanitarian aid.
The statement explained that the French official will also visit the premises of the cease-fire monitoring commission of the African Union at Al-Fashir, North Darfur State.
The statement said the visit comes to boost the relations linking the Sudan and France as well as to confirm France’s support to the peace talks in Sudan and to discuss solution of Darfur problem.
In this connection, the statement explained that Renaud Muselier led the French delegation to the donors meeting on Darfur early this month in Geneva and attended the negotiations of N’djamena last April.
The statement further explained that the French Minister will sign during the visit an agreement on food aid according to which France will extend financial grant of 3 million euros to the World Food Programme for the Internally Displaced Persons in Darfur.
The French Minister will hold a press conference at the end of his visit to Sudan.