Sudan, UK to engage in strategic dialogue

March 16, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Vice-President Hasabo Mohamed Abdel-Rahman Wednesday discussed with the British Ambassador to Khartoum Michael Aron bilateral ties between the two countries besides Sudan’s dialogue and peace processes.

Abdel-Rahman urged the United Kingdom government to take positive stances during the upcoming round of talks with the rebel groups in order to achieve peace and stability in Sudan.

For his part, Aron told reporters following the meeting that the head of the African department at the British Foreign and Commonwealth office would visit Sudan on Sunday to initiate a new strategic dialogue with Khartoum.

He added the British official will meet with Sudan’s foreign minister Ibrahim Ghandour besides other Sudanese officials.

The British ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to support efforts to achieve peace in Sudan, pointing to the visit of the African mediation Thabo Mbeki to Khartoum on Wednesday.

He stressed the importance for holding a comprehensive national dialogue, expressing optimism over the results of the upcoming talks between the government and the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) in Addis Ababa.

The Sudanese army has been fighting SPLM-N rebels in Blue Nile and South Kordofan since 201.

Last November the two warring parties failed to reach cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access agreements, as the five-day talks showed that important gaps persist in the positions of the two sides.

A Strategic Consultations Meeting between the two parties under the auspices of the African mediation would kick off on Friday in Addis Ababa to resume negotiations for peace and democratic reforms.

(ST)