Egyptian president, Sudanese FM hold talks on Darfur, peace accord
CAIRO, Jan 13, 2005 (MENA) — President Husni Mubarak met on Thursday with Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Isma’il Uthman, currently visiting here to take part in the extraordinary meeting of the Arab foreign ministers.
In statements after the meeting, Uthman said he conveyed a message to President Mubarak from Sudanese President Umar Hasan al-Bashir in which he expressed Sudan’s appreciation for efforts exerted by Egypt to sign a peace agreement in Nairobi on Sunday.
Uthman said Sudan hopes Egypt would continue efforts to solve the rest of Sudan’s problems either via negotiations held in Cairo or at Abuja negotiations on Darfur.
He added that negotiations in Cairo are about to come to an end and an agreement is expected in Cairo in February.
As for Abuja negotiations, Uthman said they will be resumed in February, hoping to be the final round.
Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu-al-Ghayt and Sudanese Charge d’Affaires in Cairo Hasan Abd-al-Baki attended Mubarak-Uthman meeting.
The Sudanese minister said Mubarak reiterated Egypt’s commitment to continue backing Sudan in order to implement the agreement and to end the rest of Sudan’s problems.
Uthman said Mubarak told him he will visit Sudan within the coming period to personally congratulate Al-Bashir on this big achievement.
Mubarak also expressed satisfaction over the development of the Egyptian-Sudanese relations, the minister said.
On reports that the Sudanese government is not enthusiastic to solve Darfur problem after it signed a peace deal with the South, he said President Al-Bashir has before reiterated Sudan’s commitment to settle Darfur problem.
Also at the Nairobi ceremony, President Al-Bashir stressed that his happiness will not be completed unless war stopped in Darfur and peace was realised, he said.
He stressed that without solving Darfur problem, Sudan cannot benefit from the signed peace accord in the South.
The Sudanese minister said his country agreed on the presence of an African mission to monitor cease-fire in the South.
He stressed that any forces – whether African or not – cannot come to Sudan unless with the approval of the Sudanese government and in accordance with the laws governing the African Peace and Security Council.
He said Sudan is still waiting for the arrival of the African force that was decided two months ago to include 3,500 soldiers but until now they are less than 1,000.
On reports that the Sudanese government violated the cease-fire in Darfur, the minister said Sudan is responsible for protecting roads and civilians in Darfur in accordance with the UN resolution and if African forces cannot do that, the government should do that by itself.
On Israeli interferences in Darfur region, he said Sudan is angry over any foreign attempt to interfere in its domestic affairs.
When a country violates UN resolution and sends arms to rebels in Darfur, it threatens Sudan’s national security and so what Israel is doing concerns the Sudanese government.
On Sudan’s stance towards developing the Arab League, he said Sudan is among the countries backing the development of the Arab League.
He added that the Arab League should be the institution leading reforms in the Arab world but in order to reforms to take place, the Arab League itself should be reshaped.
He expressed Sudan’s support for setting up an Arab peace and security council and an Arab court of justice.