Mubarak, Bashir slam Israel's practices, demand end of attacks on Palestinians
Egypt-Sudan, Politics, 5/14/2001

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Sudanese President Omar Al- Bashir of Sudan yesterday demanded Israel to "immediately and unconditionally" halt all "its oppressive practices" against the Palestinians.

"The two Presidents condemn the policy of collective punishment practised in the occupied Palestinian lands and the deliberate destruction against the Palestinian economy and its institutions," the two leaders said in a communique issued after their talks in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

The Sudanese leader ended yesterday a brief visit to Egypt where he had discussed with Mubarak the regional scene, the situation in the Sudan and bilateral ties. The statement said that the two Presidents stressed the importance of resuming Palestinian-Israeli peace talks from where they left off and on the basis of the UN resolutions and the land-for-peace formula.

Israel has been unleashing a brutal crackdown for more than seven months. A provocative visit last September by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the then-opposition leader, to Al Aqsa Mosque angered the Palestinians and gave rise to their Intifada.

In their joint statement, Mubarak and al-Bashir renewed a call for freeing the Middle East of the weapons of mass destruction and demanded Israel's joining of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Mubarak and Al-Bashir agreed to upgrade a Joint Cooperation Commission to a higher panel to meet alternately in Cairo and Khartoum . Egyptian Prime Minister and Sudan's Vice President will co-chair the meetings of the commission.

The two leaders, said the communique, had approved the outlines of a strategy for joint agricultural cooperation to help meet the two countries' needs and achieve a surplus for Arabs and Africans. "Presidents Hosni Mubarak and Omar al-Bashir express their satisfaction over measures taken to remove restrictions on the movement of individuals and goods between the two countries."

The two leaders agreed to re-open a Sudanese Consulate in the Egyptian town of Aswan and an Egyptian Consulate in the Sudanese town of Port Sudan.

The Mubarak-Bashir talks covered efforts to fulfil national reconciliation in Sudan. "The two Presidents underline the importance of pooling all efforts, be they national, regional and international, to reach a comprehensive political solution based on the unity of Sudan and its territorial integrity and fulfilling the ambitions of all its people," read the final communique. The two leaders also renewed their call to the IGAD (the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development) to coordinate its efforts on Sudan with an Egyptian-Libyan peace plan launched to this end. Egypt and Libya launched a joint peace initiative for Sudan in May, 1999.

"The two presidents express anew that the Egyptian-Libyan initiative to achieve national reconciliation and a comprehensive political solution represents the proper framework for unifying efforts towards a peaceful settlement in Sudan," said the communique.

Al-Bashir had gone into talks with Mubarak upon his arrival in Sharm el-Sheikh. He flew to the Red Sea resort for the meetings, originally scheduled for Cairo, because sandstorms disrupted flights to the Egyptian capital.

Following their talks which ran for around an hour, the two leaders held a meeting joined by senior officials from both sides.

Bashir also held separate talks with Egyptian Prime Minister Atef Ebeid. Meetings also took place between each country's Ministers of Defence, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Industry and Investment, and Information. During the talks, Mubarak reiterated Egypt's support for Sudan and its keenness to preserve its territorial integrity, said Information Minister Safwat el-Sherif in a briefing to the media.

"The Sudanese President emphasised that domains of work between Egypt and Sudan allow for more cooperation and voiced his appreciation to President Hosni Mubarak for his supportive stands to Sudan regionally and internationally," added the Minister.

Relations between the two countries have shown remarkable improvement recently after some years of strains.

Previous Stories:
  Egypt Sudan to discuss ending entry visas requirements   (5/4/2001)
  On al-Bashir- Mubarak summit   (5/3/2001)
  Bashir to visit Egypt to strengthen relations   (5/2/2001)

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