Sudan’s DUP rejects holding national dialogue abroad
April 16, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) led by the presidential assistant Jalal Youssef Al-Digair, has announced rejection to holding the national dialogue abroad, saying it is an inter-Sudanese process and must take place inside the country.
Al-Digair met with the European Union (EU) ambassador to Sudan, Tomas Ulicny, on Wednesday in the presence of the DUP’s secretary general and information minister, Ahmed Bilal.
It was not clear whether the DUP’s rejection for holding the dialogue abroad was a response to a suggestion made by the ambassador or not. However a number of European capitals believe they should encourage discussions between political parties and rebels outside the country.
Bilal told Sudan’s official news agency (SUNA) following the meeting they discussed with EU ambassador the progress of the dialogue process among various political parties in order to achieve a comprehensive solution for all Sudan’s problems.
“We discussed our party’s stance with regard to various issues including our 1996 initiative for dialogue which sought to uphold the value of national dialogue as means to achieve comprehensive and integrated solution for challenges facing the country,” he added
He pointed to his party’s participation in various committees of the political parties’ council and its contacts with opposition forces, saying the meeting alluded to the invitation extended by the EU to the DUP to take part in the workshop which will be held abroad in order to converge views of various political forces.
The DUP secretary general further said they conveyed to Ulicny their view on the ongoing dialogue and their vision on the proposed solutions.
“If EU’s efforts were sincere they would definitely push the dialogue process and urge rebel groups to take part in it,” he added
Ulicny for his part welcomed the start of national dialogue among various political forces in order to resolve all the country’s issues.
The DUP Al-Digair is a splinter faction from the DUP mainstream led by Mohamed Osman Al-Mirgani who also joined the government of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) after South Sudan gained independence.
Last January, Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir launched a political initiative and invited the opposition parties and armed groups to come together for a national dialogue.
(ST)