DATE=8/15/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237134
TITLE= EGYPT / SUDANESE TALKS (L ONLY)
BYLINE= ELIZABETH BRYANT
DATELINE = CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: SUDAN'S OPPOSITION LEADERS BEGAN FORMAL TALKS IN CAIRO
SATURDAY AFTER MEETING EARLIER THIS WEEK WITH EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT
HOSNI MUBARAK. LISA BRYANT REPORTS THAT THE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN
CRITICIZED BY THE SUDANESE GOVERNMENT.
TEXT: THIS WEEK'S MEETINGS AMONG OPPOSITION LEADERS COME AT
EGYPT'S INVITATION. THEY TAKE PLACE A WEEK AFTER PEACE TALKS IN
ETHIOPIA BROKE DOWN BETWEEN THE SUDANESE GOVERNMENT AND THE
SUDANESE PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY, OR S-P-L-A.
THE TALKS AIM TO END SUDAN'S CIVIL WAR, WHICH PITS THE COUNTRY'S
NORTH AGAINST ITS SOUTH AND HAS KILLED THOUSANDS OF SUDANESE.
OPPOSITION LEADERS ARE CALLING FOR GREATER AUTONOMY AND A SECULAR
GOVERNMENT.
///OPT/// OPPOSITION MEMBERS ATTENDING THE MEETINGS INCLUDE
MOHAMMED OSMAN AL-MIRGANI. HE HEADS THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC
ALLIANCE, THE UMBRELLA OPPOSITION GROUP. S-P-L-A HEAD JOHN
GARANG AND FORMER PRIME MINISTER SADIQ EL-MAHDI ARE ALSO
ATTENDING. ///END OPT. ///
THESE LEADERS SAY THEIR TALKS IN CAIRO REPRESENT A SHIFT IN
EGYPTIAN STRATEGY. FOR THE FIRST TIME, THEY SAY, THE EGYPTIAN
GOVERNMENT HAS FORMALLY RECOGNIZED THEIR PRESENCE HERE.
FATIMA AHMED IBRAHIM, A FORMER MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, SAYS EGYPT'S
SUPPORT IS CRITICAL.
///FATIMA ACTUALITY///
EGYPT IS OUR NEIGHBOR, IS OUR SISTER, IS LIKE ERITREA
WITH THE OPPOSITION SITUATION. BOTH OF THEM ARE
NEIGHBORS AND THEY ARE CONCERNED. SO THEY GIVE THEM A
CHANCE. THEY GIVE THE OPPOSITION A CHANCE: TO STAY WITH
THEM, TO CONVENE THEIR MEETINGS, EITHER HERE OR IN
ERITREA.
///END ACTUALITY///
BUT A STATE-OWNED SUDANESE NEWSPAPER SAID EGYPT'S INVOLVEMENT IN
THE MEETINGS HAS UNDERMINED SUDAN'S LEGITIMATE ROLE.
FOR ITS PART, THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT SAYS IT IS HOSTING THE
MEETINGS AS A WAY TO FIND A PEACEFUL RESOLUTION TO THE
15-YEAR-OLD CIVIL WAR. EGYPTIAN OFFICIALS ALSO POINT OUT THIS IS
NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT GARANG, THE S-P-L-A LEADER, HAS VISITED
CAIRO.
EGYPTIAN OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE NOT BEEN FORMALLY NOTIFIED OF
SUDAN'S UNHAPPINESS. THEY SAY DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN EGYPTIAN AND
SUDANESE OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO TAKE PLACE REGULARLY.
THESE OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE PUSHING FOR A DIALOGUE AMONG THE
SUDANESE ABOUT THE COUNTRY'S FUTURE.
/// REST OPT///
EGYPT WANTS A PEACEFUL SUDAN, IN PART TO GUARANTEE ACCESS TO NILE
RIVER WATERS WHICH FLOW THROUGH BOTH COUNTRIES. BUT THE EGYPTIAN
GOVERNMENT ALSO SEES SUDAN AS A CRITICAL LINK BETWEEN ARAB AND
AFRICAN COUNTRIES.
EARLIER THIS WEEK, EGYPT PLEDGED TO SEND 100 TONS OF FOOD AND
MEDICAL SUPPLIES TO SUDAN, WHERE A FAMINE IS THREATENING THE
LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF SUDANESE. (SIGNED)
NEB/EB/DW
15-Aug-98 12:30 PM EDT (1630 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
