Mubarak-Bashir talks cover legitimacy, stability, reconciliation in Sudan
Egypt-Sudan, Politics, 12/24/1999

President Hosni Mubarak yesterday hold talks with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on the development in the Sudan and the means of backing security, legitimacy and stability in the Sudan.

The talks also covered the means to promote Egyptian-Libyan initiative on reconciliation in the Sudan.

Foreign Minister Amr Moussa said President Hosni Mubarak's talks with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir were held in a positive and cordial atmosphere.

This atmosphere reflects Egypt's great interest in Sudan and its affairs and in moves aiming at establishing stability in the country within the framework of its territorial integrity and resolving inter-Sudanese differences.

Moussa added that the two presidents held a tete-a-tete session of talks followed by another attended by some members of the two countries' delegations.

The talks covered the latest developments in Sudan, Egyptian-Sudanese relations along with Khartoum's relations with the neighboring countries and the means to move swiftly to usher the Sudanese question into understanding and dialogue.

"The conditions in Sudan seem to be stabilized," Moussa said, referring to Bashir's affirmation, during his visits to each of Libya and Egypt, that the situation in Sudan was reassuring, that Bashir was in full control and that he remained Sudan's only legitimate President.

President Mubarak affirmed, during his Gulf tour, his great support for Bashir's policy, saying any country had only one President and not two.

"For this reason, Bashir has received the support of all Arab countries," the Egyptian top diplomat added.

Drawn on Sudan's territorial integrity, Moussa said "Sudan's territorial integrity will not be subjected to any manipulation or negotiation."

"Sudan's territorial integrity is part and parcel of the Egyptian principle and policy which is the basis of the Egyptian-Libyan initiative and, therefore, any talk jeopardizing Sudanese integrity is out of question," Moussa added.

On Egypt's expectations regarding Sudan's acceptance of Egyptian security requirements after its support of Bashir, Moussa said, the situation between Egypt and Sudan involved the kind of massive chaos Sudan could have been subjected to and the consequential harm to its territorial integrity.

"Egypt's stance on the Sudanese issue has been clear and positive," Moussa added.

Moussa also stressed the importance maintaining good Egyptian-Sudanese relations premised on joint efforts to solve the existing problems.

Asked about the reasons behind Egypt's backing to Sudanese President Bashir in his latest steps although he had dissolved democratic and constitutional institutions at this crucial moment in Sudan, Moussa said that the issue is not related to disbanding a democratic institution because Sudan was on the verge of a showdown between the two parties of the government and it had suffered from a challenge to the presidential power by another authority inside the country.

Moussa pointed out that the decision was taken to correct this serious situation, alluding to Egypt's and other countries' support to those moves.

"It is impossible to back policies that could have worsened the situation in Sudan," Moussa said.

Moussa has neither ruled out nor confirmed possibilities of holding a summit for the Damascus Declaration states as prelude to a pan-Arab summit.

Asked if President Bashir unveiled any steps regarding Egyptian-Sudanese relations, Moussa said that ties between the two countries are improving and moving in the right direction and that details will be announced up should any step be taken.

Moussa added that the Egyptian stance on the support of Sudan is pertaining to a major strategic issue which could have led to the division of Sudan.

"Improvement, continuation and stability in relations between Egypt and Sudan demand certain steps at the level of bilateral relations," Moussa said.

He added that Egypt is in contact with leader of the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) John Garang, pointing out that Sudanese reconciliation and development are not that of northern Sudan but rather for all the country.

"Garang and other leaders of the south are part of the equation and have the same rights. they should be party to any dialogue or collective Sudanese movement to reconstruct Sudan."

Previous Stories:
  Moussa assures success of El-Bashir's visit to Cairo   (12/23/1999)
  Today: Concluding discussions between Mubarak and El-Bashir in Cairo   (12/23/1999)
  Bashir arrives in Cairo today for talks with Mubarak   (12/22/1999)

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