SPLA favors integration of initiatives
Egypt-Sudan, Politics, 5/11/2000

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak yesterday received John Garang, Leader of Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA). Garang said he came to Egypt to examine the current fundamental changes in Sudan and the creation of new Sudan on the basis of justice and equality.

It will be a new Sudan that will not discriminate between the people of the North and those of the south, Garang said after meeting President Mubarak.

All Sudanese need that the situation be activated towards the establishment of a new Sudan, and everything that this goal entails, must be carried out, Garang said.

Garang voiced appreciation for President Mubarak's interest in the situation in Sudan.

The peoples of Egypt and Sudan are one nation bound by historical ties and solidarity, Garang said.

Asked why his SPLA walked out from the upcoming Nairobi round of negotiations, Garang said his front suspended its participation but did not withdraw from the IGAD peace process.

It suspended its participation to protest the Sudanese government's attack on civilian targets despite the government's announcement on April 19, it would halt strikes on civilian targets, he added.

On his front's stance towards the conflict between Sudanese President Omar El Bashir and Hassan El Turabi and its effect on the future of Sudan, Garang said the conflict was within the wings of the regime of the Islamic National Front.

"We believe it is a positive development that will open the door to greater opportunities to move towards the building of a new unified and democratic Sudan to which all can contribute equally, and in this respect, it is a positive conflict," Garang said.

The solution we seek is a solution to the problem of Sudan rather than a solution to the conflict between the Bashir-Turabi groups, he added.

Asked on the position of the SPLA on the Egyptian-Libyan initiative to bring reconciliation to Sudan, Garang said reports that his front opposed are incorrect.

"The Front's position has always been clear, we accept the Egyptian-Libyan initiative on the basis of our membership in the opposition national democratic alliance," he added.

The SPLA has always called for the unification of all peace initiatives on Sudan and for one forum and one mechanism instead of several initiatives and the establishment of one forum and one mechanism instead of several initiatives, Garang pointed out.

In this respect, we call for the unification of the Egyptian- Libyan and the IGAD initiatives and the establishment of one forum for negotiations, he added.

We accept the Egyptian-Libyan and the IGAD initiative and we call for their combination because the problems of Sudan cannot be settled without Egypt's participation and contribution, also they cannot be solved without the participation of the IGAD members, and thus we accept the two initiatives and ask that they be unified, Garang concluded.

Previous Stories:
  Moussa discusses Sudanese reconciliation with Garang, Merghani   (5/10/2000)
  Moussa: The negotiation with the Sudanese opposition promise good things   (4/27/2000)
  Continuing Egyptian - Sudanese communications   (4/27/2000)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search