Bashir terms Sudanese -Egyptian ties as 100 percent normal
Sudan-Egypt, Politics, 5/16/2001

Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir underlined that Egyptian -Sudanese relations are back to normal 100 percent.

In statements upon his stopover late Tuesday from Brussels, Bashir said that outcome of his visit to Egypt and meeting with President Hosni Mubarak was quite evident in the joint statement released by the conclusion of the visit.

Replying a query from MENA, Bashir said that it was not hard to resolve obstacles facing security issues and trade exchange.

The visit has laid new basis for the promotion of trade and economic ties between Sudan and Egypt, he added.

Bashir said that his talks tackled means of integration, as to be demonstrated in the export of Sudanese meat to the Egyptian market. Customs tariffs will be cut down, said Bashir, noting that many Egyptian products that reach the Sudanese market are tax-exempted.

He pointed out that it was agreed to re-open a Sudanese Consulate in the Egyptian City of Aswan and re-open one Egyptian consulate in Port Sudan and open a new one in Wadi Halfa to smooth the movement of people and commodities.

Bashir described leader of the rebel Sudanese People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) John Garang as evasive as far as peace is concerned, as he answered a question on leader of the Libyan Revolution Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's recent meeting with Garang.

Bashir added that he had informed the UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson that the government is willing to reach an unconditioned ceasefire.

He lashed out at the US and the rebels describing them as the main reasons for the continuation of war.

"The resumption of diplomatic ties between Sudan and Uganda would help end current tension with Uganda's ending its support for the rebels," said Bashir.

Bashir voiced satisfaction with outcome of the Brussels conference in which he took part in his capacity as the current President of the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD).

He said that the European Community showed readiness to relieve developing and the least-developed countries from debts that hamper the development process in these countries.

"The European countries responded positively to the call of opening markets for the least-developing countries" said Bashir.

Asked about dispute-settling mechanism conference, to be held on Thursday in the Togolese capital of Lome, Bashir said that African States should not meddle in others' internal affairs and this mechanism should be used to settle conflicts peacefully, especially when the prospective African Union is born.

Previous Stories:
  Egypt, Sudan defence ministers meet   (5/15/2001)
  Cooperation between Egypt, Sudan   (5/15/2001)
  Mubarak, Bashir discuss significant issues   (5/14/2001)

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