Khartoum welcomes American support to the negotiations

Sudanese foreign minister Mustafa Othman Ismael yesterday welcomed the American efforts made to arrange for the talks in Washington between the government and the rebels of John Garang, while Khartoum had criticized the announcement made by the rebels to demonstrate the new Sudanese currency "Pound" which is linked to the US dollar to be used in the areas that fall under its control in the south, despite the continuous peace process in Mashakos.

Ismael described the assertions of the US administration to support the peace process through negotiations by pushing the two sides towards an agreement as a positive indicator that precedes and serves the visit of the Sudanese delegations of the peace process to Washington.

He indicated that these American assertions were received by the government directly from the US President George Bush and the US secretary of State Colin Powell via the American charge de affairs in Khartoum, which all stressed that there is "no secret agenda for the American administration."

Meantime, the Sudanese government al-Anbaa paper said that the rebels project to launch their special currency in the areas that fall under their control is in contradiction with Mashakos agreement and proves the separatist true intentions.