Sudanese ruling National Congress affirms keenness on unity of rebel SPLM

KHARTOUM, Nov 29, 2004 (SUNA) — The Leadership Office of the National Congress in its meeting presided by Chairman of the National Congress Omer Hassan Al-Bashir, Monday, underlined the keenness of the National Congress (NC) on the unity of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) led by John Garang, in expression of the party’s keenness on completing the peace process in the country.

Ibrahim Ahmed Omar, the Secretary General of the ruling National Congress.

The leadership office has expressed its optimism that the coming round of peace talks with SPLM in Kenya would be a conclusive one and that at the end of the round a comprehensive peace agreement would be concluded.

Ibrahim Ahmed Omar, the Secretary General of the National Congress, pointed out in press statement following the meeting that leadership office has noted what was going on in the political scene about the position of the movement and reaffirmed in this context that the party would remain keen on the Movement remaining united so as to serve the peace process which has now reached an advance stage.

He pointed out that the office has heard a repot presented by the First Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha and the head of the government delegation to the peace negotiations with the SPLM in Kenya, on the ongoing peace process in the south reaffirming that the technical committees are presently working seriously an that the government delegation which he would head would be in time for the venue of the coming round of the peace talks.

The secretary general has stressed that the government was heading for this round of peace negotiations with optimism and the office has expressed hope that this round of negotiations would be the final round and that at the end of the encounter an agreement would be signed.

Ibrahim Ahmed Omar has meanwhile added that the leadership office has heard another report presented by Majzoub Khalifa, the secretary of the political affairs in the National Congress, the head of the government delegation to the peace talks with Darfur rebels, on the progress of negotiations process in Abuja and the arrangements for the convening of the coming round of talks.

The office has also been briefed about the ongoing negotiations between the government and the opposition National Democratic Alliance, presented by Dr. Nafie Ali Nafie.

The office also heard a report presented by the Chairman of the National Congress on his recent meetings with his counterparts during his recent African tours.

Ibrahim Ahmed Omer stressed that the leadership office has underlined its keenness for the completion of the peace process in Abuja and the success of the Libyan endeavors in this regard. He said the leadership office has underlined the keenness of the party and the government that all measures should be taken for reaching an agreement on the question of Darfur.

He said the office has also listened to a report by the Minister of Finance and National Economy on the budget for the coming year. He said the office has made some directives as to the final form of the budget.