Sudan’s FM to meet exiled opposition leader in Saudi Arabia

KHARTOUM, March 12 (AFP) — Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said he would travel to Saudi Arabia Sunday to meet exiled opposition chief Mohamed Osman al-Marghani for talks aimed at reintegrating the opposition into Sudanese politics.

Mohamed Osman al-Marghani, president of the National Democratic Allaince .

Ismail said he would meet with Marghani, the head of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), during his two-day visit to discuss a resumption of negotiations between the government and the NDA in the Egyptian capital Cairo.

Khartoum and the Cairo-based opposition umbrella group were due to sign a final accord on February 12 covering political, constitutional and legislative issues, but the deal was never signed.

The accord is aimed at lifting the state of emergency in place since 1989 and setting up a joint commission to look at how to integrate the NDA into politics.

The NDA is a coalition of northern organisations and is seen as a rival to the Al-Umma party — Sudan’s legal opposition — and the outlawed Popular Congress.

Meanwhile, Ismail said that during his trip to Saudi Arabia he would also deliver a message from Sudan’s President Omar al-Beshir to Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz concerning the countries’ bilateral relations.

The message would also cover Sudan peace developments and the international community’s efforts.

Ismail praised the bilateral ties, describing them as “excellent in the economic, political and negotiations security fields,” noting that Saudi Arabia “is one of the few countries that effectively contributes to offering humanitarian assistance to (the war-torn region of) Darfur, particularly with regards to helping the displaced persons there.”