Sudanese govt blames opposition alliance for talks delay

KHARTOUM, Feb 28, 2005 (Sudan Tribune) — The Sudanese government criticized the opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and called on it to stop sending negative messages which poisoned the environment once again, especially after the signing of the peace agreement between the government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement.

The government said that it was the NDA which requested for the postponement of the Cairo talks, the Khartoum based Al-Ayam reported on Sunday February 27.

The government criticism comes after the NDA accused the government of being responsible for the delay of the Cairo negotiations. The NDA had also hinted that it would turn to the streets and cause civil disobedience as a way opposing government’s insistence on sidelining it in drafting the constitution for the transitional period.

Spokesman for the NDA Hatim al-Sir accused the government of not being serious in its negotiations with those opposed to it and blamed the government for delay of the Cairo negotiations.

Issuing a press statement yesterday at the Ministry of External Relations, the foreign minister said, “the government did not postpone the meeting. The Egyptian authorities notified the government that the Alliance had requested its postponement.

Material provided by the BBC Monitoring Service.