Sudanese, Russian ministers discuss Darfur, bilateral ties

MOSCOW, Oct, 2004 (ITAR-TASS) — Russia and Sudan are in favour of “an active search for a solution to the conflict in the Sudanese province of Darfur by political means, including cooperation with the African Union”.

This was said at a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the Sudanese president’s special representative on Darfur and Interior Minister Maj-Gen Abdal-Rahim Hussein in Moscow today.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said the Sudanese representative had arrived in Moscow for a short working visit. He handed over a message for Russian President Vladimir Putin from Sudanese President Umar al-Bashir.

Lavrov and Husayn discussed the problem of Darfur, particularly “in the context of efforts undertaken by the world community to settle the crisis in this western Sudanese province and to ameliorate the humanitarian situation”.

The ministers also touched on the prospects for development of “Russian-Sudanese relations in various areas”. They noted “the importance of increasing trade and economic cooperation between the two countries”.