Mubarak, Bashir discussed efforts to solve Darfur issue
Egypt-Sudan, Politics, 12/13/2004

Egyptian-Sudanese summit focused on bilateral relations and political issues, Presidential spokesman Ambassador Maged Abdel Fattah told the press.

On the bilateral relations, President Hosni Mubarak and Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir discussed the progress made in implementing the four freedoms agreement, effective since September in the two countries, he said.

They agreed on activating its implementation in its four spheres, namely the freedoms of labor, movement, ownership and residence, through the holding of joint technical committee meetings, the latest of which was held in Cairo September 8 through 22, he added.

He said more meetings will be held in January to follow up its implementation.

The two sides also probed the holding of joint higher committee meetings to enhance cooperation in the areas of education, higher education, culture, health and social affairs, he added.

Abdel Fattah said that the two sides reviewed implementation of six memos of understanding on the return of educational missions and cooperation in the fields of industry, health and meat exports.

He said that an agreement was reached between Mubarak and Bashir on holding the fourth session of the Egyptian-Sudanese higher committee in Cairo in the first quarter of next year.

The spokesman said that the talks also dealt with means to promote trade cooperation between the two countries.

He said that the two sides discussed means to boost trade cooperation which required more linkage in the fields of communications as the main communication cable, which links the two countries with all world satellites, was connected.

Abdel Fattah said that work was intensified to complete the road linking Egypt with Sudan, adding that a stretch of some 218 kilometers of the road was yet to be completed.

"Abdel Fattah said that the Egyptian-Sudanese talks also dealt with means to activate linkage between the two countries in the fields of railways, which suffer from some problems such as differences in the kind of railways.

The spokesman said that the volume of trade exchange between the two countries reached $ 165 million in 2003, adding there was a possibility of upping it.

He said that the talks dealt with an agreement on boosting cooperation in COMESA and promoting trilateral cooperation between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan through activating cooperation among the private sectors in the three countries in the political and economic domains.

The spokesman said that Egypt has been supporting negotiations between north and south Sudan and hopes for accelerating them as soon as possible.

Abdel Fattah pointed out progress in reconciliation efforts among Darfur tribes, especially after convincing the tribes of the dire consequences of differences and clashes.

The spokesman said that Egypt, Libya and other countries that took part in a Libya summit on Darfur intensified contacts with opposition powers Darfur to reach a comprehensive solution to the crisis.

The spokesman said that Egypt has been exerting maximum efforts to solve Darfur crisis through establishing an infrastructure and roads in the war-torn region.

On Egypt's stance towards imposing sanctions on Sudan, the spokesman said that Egypt remained a strong opponent of such sanctions.

Previous Stories:
  Mubarak-Bashir summit reviews developments in Darfur   (12/11/2004)
  Mubarak to hold talks with Sudanese president   (12/10/2004)
  Mahdi: Egypt qualified to play crucial role in solving Sudan's problems   (10/30/2004)

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