Egyptian, Libyan officials tackle plan for Sudan peace
Egypt-Libya, Politics, 11/13/1999

Foreign Minister Amr Moussa Thursday said an Egyptian-Libyan plan on fulfilling peace in Sudan was at the center of his talks with Secretary of Libya's General Popular Committee for Foreign Liaison Omar al-Montasser.

Emerging from the talks that lasted for nearly two hours, Moussa termed the meeting as "good". "The talks dealt with the steps ahead under the Egyptian-Libyan initiative and the contacts made with the Sudanese government and opposition," added Moussa.

"There are next stops the two sides will agree on through a schedule for work and movement," added Moussa. He maintained the keenness of Cairo and Tripoli to keep their proposal going ahead and to coordinate with another plan on Sudan forwarded by the regional Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

Moussa said that the Egyptian-Libyan initiative on Sudan is now "on the table of discussion" at different international forums interested in ending the Sudanese problem. "The Egyptian-Libyan initiative has filled in a very important gap. It has tackled the Sudanese problem, proceeding from the point that the (IGAD) initiative speaks about one aspect of the Sudanese problem while we see the problem has more than one aspect that needs to be handled so that the problem will be solved," Moussa told reporters.

"Sudan's problem is not only between north and south. There is a big problem between the south and south, and another between the north and north, and a third between the north and the south. There is also a problem between Sudan and its neighbors," expounded Moussa.

Moussa stressed the interest of all Sudan's neighbors, including Egypt, in resolving the problem.

"We do not deny the (IGAD) countries their right to this. In return, they should not deny Egypt or Libya or any other neighbors to have the same interest in resolving Sudan's long-running problem," said Moussa.

Moussa played down what one reporter termed as US opposition to the Egyptian-Libyan peace plan.

"The coordination of stances and agreement on a certain plan amongst us can help in easing the situation. The presence of the Egyptian-Libyan initiative has created a very new dimension," he said.

Meanwhile, the Libyan official said that the next step would lie in "making more efforts" to implement the Egyptian-Libyan proposal.

Asked to comment on US reservations on the plan, he said: "The US has nothing to do with that."

The Libyan official urged coordination between the Egyptian-Libyan plan on Sudan and that of the IGAD. He, however, denied reports about "integrating" the two plans.

"There is only coordination between them," he remarked, citing continued contacts between Egypt, Libya and the IGAD. "Some IGAD countries are welcoming the Egyptian-Libyan initiative," he added.

Moussa and the Libyan official held a second round of talks on Friday.

Moussa and al-Montassir signed Friday at the end of their second meeting the minutes of the joint Egyptian-Libyan committee meeting on national conciliation and a comprehensive political solution in Sudan, an Egyptian diplomatic source said.

Previous Stories:
  Moussa: UNSC resolution 242 applies to Palestinian lands   (11/12/1999)
  Moussa meets with El-Sadek El-Mahdi   (11/9/1999)
  Nobody can veto Egypt's stance towards Sudan   (11/5/1999)

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