Mubarak receives message from Bashir, report on IGAD Summit
Egypt-Sudan, Politics, 1/12/2002

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Maher conveys a verbal message to President Mubarak from Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir.

Upon Maher's return from Khartoum, where he attended the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) summit, he said he will raise a report to President Mubarak.

Maher told reporters that the Sudanese President welcomed President Mubarak's message, confirming that Sudan was keen to boost relations with Egypt in various domains.

He said that an agreement was reached to promote trade cooperation between the two states.

The Egyptian official pointed out that his meeting with the Sudanese President dealt with the Egyptian-Libyan initiative on Sudan, adding that President Bashir had welcomed relevant efforts.

Maher said that he had met in Khartoum a number of Sudanese officials, including vice-president Ali Othman, on means of boosting the Egyptian-Sudanese relations.

He added that his meeting with Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Othman Ismail and Secretary of the Libyan Committee for the African Unity Ali al Tiriki had dealt with activating the Egyptian-Libyan initiative on Sudan.

Maher said that he had met a number of African leaders who took part in IGAD summit, including Eritrean President Isaias Afworki and Somali President Abdiqassem Salad Hassan and conveyed to them President Mubarak's greetings.

He said that he also met Norwegian Minister for International Cooperation and Development and discussed with her the Egyptian-Libyan plan on Sudan.

On whether there was an agreement on the meeting of the National Congress which groups different Sudanese factions, Maher said that no date was set, but he added that Egyptian-Libyan meetings are underway at the highest levels to prepare for that gathering.

Maher alluded to IGAD's interest in coordination with the Egyptian-Libyan initiative, adding that the Egyptian-Libyan plan has made progress.

Egypt's top diplomat described the situation in the Palestinian territories as extremely worrying and urged Israel to realize that security would not be achieved through anti-peace policies.

He warned that stepping up pressure on the Palestinians may trigger the opposite results.

"The solution lies in Israel's commitment to the international legitimacy resolutions and entering 'in negotiations," he told reporters.

On IGAD's backing to the idea of holding an international conference against terror, as suggested by President Mubarak, Maher said that the proposal which dated back to 1985 has been gaining more support after the world has realized that terrorism is an international phenomenon that would not be solved without international coordination.

Previous Stories:
  Egypt keen on maintaining Sudanese unity   (1/10/2002)
  IGAD Summit is important   (1/10/2002)
  Egypt's moves aim at realizing peace in Sudan   (1/1/2002)

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