Mubarak discussed with al-Bashir the situation in Darfur: we reject imposing sanctions on Sudan
Egypt-Sudan, Politics, 7/16/2004

The spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency, Majid Abdul Fattah, said following talks the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak made in Cairo yesterday with his Sudanese counterpart Omar Hassan al-Bashir that Egypt is studying dispatching of observers to Darfur district in the west of Sudan and is also rejecting the threats to impose international sanctions on Sudan.

Abdul Fattah said that the " situation in Darfur, efforts to establish peace between the north and the south and bilateral relations " were all in the essence of the talks held between Mubarak and al-Bashir. The source said that al-Bashir and Mubarak discussed also " the deteriorated conditions in Iraq, stressing their total support for the efforts made by the Interim Iraqi government to control conditions."

The spokesman continued that Egypt is currently studying sending observers to Darfur to take part in establishing peace in this district, noting that it rejects threats to impose international sanctions on Khartoum. Abdul Fattah said that " Egypt calls for participation in the joint committee for the African federation on Darfur in order to contribute to settling the crisis." He stressed that "Egypt asks for taking part in the joint committee for the African federation on Darfur to contribute to settling this problem."

He also stressed that Egypt "does not want to send forces to Sudan or Africa, rather a force of observers with small protection group." According to the UN, Darfur is witnessing a humanitarian crisis. The conflict between the rebels movement and the pro government militias resulted in killing 10,000 persons and displacement of one million and more than 100,000 persons resorted to Chad, according to the UN. Recently, the African federation stressed its intention to send armed protection groups to Darfur where observers are stationed to monitor the fragile cease- fire.

Together with western countries, the US threatened to impose international sanctions on Khartoum unless it desolves the Jangawid militias which is accused of ethnical cleansing against the African tribes in the area.

The Egyptian spokesman said that Khartoum considered it very necessary to " dismantle weapons of all militias simultaneously " in Darfur and " not only the Jangaweid and leave the control for other militias." Following the official talks, al-Bashir congratulated Mubarak over the success of the surgery he held in Germany in June. Al-Bashir left Cairo which he had arrived earlier in the morning accompanied by the foreign minister Mustafa Othman Ismael.

Previous Stories:
  Egypt calls giving up threats to punish Khartoum; bloody demonstrations coincides with Powell's tour, Annan in Sudan   (7/1/2004)
  Al-Gomhuri : Bashir: Joint history, geography compel Egypt, Sudan integration   (6/24/2004)
  Sudanese Parliament approves four freedoms agreement with Egypt   (6/16/2004)

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