DATE=8/17/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237210
TITLE=SUDAN OPPOSITION TALKS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=LISA BRYANT
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: LEADERS OF SUDAN'S OPPOSITION ARE WRAPPING UP A WEEK OF
MEETINGS IN CAIRO, HOSTED BY THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT. EGYPTIAN
OFFICIALS SAY THEIR EFFORTS ARE AIMED AT BRINGING PEACE TO SUDAN.
BUT LISA BRYANT REPORTS FROM THE EGYPTIAN CAPITAL THAT THE
OPPOSITION LEADERS SEE NO HOPE IN REVIVING STALLED PEACE TALKS
ANY TIME SOON.
TEXT: FORMER PRIME MINISTER SADIQ EL-MAHDI PREDICTS THE DAYS OF
PRESIDENT OMAR EL-BASHIR'S ISLAMIC GOVERNMENT ARE LIMITED. AND HE
SAYS PEACE TALKS BETWEEN THE OPPOSITION AND THE SUDANESE
GOVERNMENT HAVE, SO FAR, PROVED FUTILE.
///AL-MAHDI ACT///
AS YOU KNOW THERE (ARE) NO PEACE TALKS AT ALL. ITS
REALLY SIMPLY A MEANS OF NOT DECLARING A DEFEAT OR
NOT DECLARING FAILURE.
///END ACT///
MR. SADIQ SPOKE AS LEADERS OF SUDAN'S OPPOSITION PARTIES WOUND UP
MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE OF THEIR REBEL MOVEMENT. LAST
WEEK, EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK ALSO MET WITH MR. SADIQ
AND WITH JOHN GARANG, HEAD OF THE SUDAN PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY,
OR S-P-L-A.
EGYPTIAN OFFICIALS SAY THEY DECIDED TO HOST THE OPPOSITION
MEETINGS IN ORDER TO HELP END 15 YEARS OF CIVIL WAR IN SUDAN.
LAST WEEK, THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT ALSO PROMISED TO SEND FOOD AND
MEDICAL SUPPLIES TO SOUTHERN SUDAN, WHERE FAMINE IS THREATENING
THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
BUT IT'S NOT CLEAR WHETHER EGYPT'S ROLE AS PEACEMAKER IS
WORKING. THE SUDANESE GOVERNMENT HAS CRITICIZED THE MEETINGS FOR
TAKING PLACE IN CAIRO.
FOR THEIR PART, SUDANESE OPPOSITION LEADERS SAY THE CAIRO
MEETINGS MARK A SHIFT IN EGYPTIAN POLICY TO A FORMAL RECOGNITION
OF THEIR MOVEMENT. THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT HAS NOT COMMENTED ON
THIS MATTER.
//REST OPT// THE MEETINGS GATHER TOGETHER THE SUDANESE NATIONAL
DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE, A COLLECTION OF OPPOSITION GROUPS.
ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN RUMORS OF DIVISION AMONG ALLIANCE
LEADERS, MR. GARANG SAID THE GROUP WAS UNIFIED IN ITS POLITICAL
PLATFORM, WHICH INCLUDES FREEDOM OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP.
///GARANG ACT///
WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS YOU CANNOT GOVERN OR FOUND A STATE
LIKE THE SUDAN ON RELIGIOUS GROUNDS. WE ARE SAYING THAT
ALL RELIGIONS MUST BE GIVEN COMPLETE FREEDOM. FREEDOM OF
WORSHIP, FREEDOM OF PROSELYTIZATION, BUT NO PARTICULAR
RELIGION CAN BE THE RELIGION OF THE STATE.
///END ACT///
THE MEETINGS IN CAIRO FOLLOW A BREAKDOWN IN PEACE TALKS BETWEEN
THE SUDANESE GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION IN ETHIOPIA. OPPOSITION
MEMBERS SAY THEY ARE DISCUSSING THE SHAPE OF A NEW SUDANESE
STATE. THAT INCLUDES DRAFTING A NEW CONSTITUTION AND A NEW
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. (SIGNED)
NEB/EB/PCF
17-Aug-98 12:55 PM EDT (1655 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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