Garang warns against failure of negotiations with government

The leader Sudanese southern rebels John Garang has announced that the talks with the Sudanese government are still far apart from achieving a progress on the issue of sharing oil resources in the country which he considered the most important element in the talks between the two sides.

In an interview with the Egyptian daily al-Ahram, Garang warned against the impossibility of reaching a final agreement with the government in the new round of peace negotiations in Kenya on security before maintaining an understanding on sharing the resources and the authority.

He stressed that the government's share of oil should not exceed 40 percent while the government asks for a rate of 90 percent. Garang added that the people of the south have to receive 40 percent of the state's posts, including posts in judicial positions and those relating to civilian administration and governmental positions.

Garang said that the two sides should reciprocate presidency every three year and the Islamic Sharia not to be implemented on non-Muslims.

The minister of information and official spokesman for the Sudanese government al-Zahawi Ibrahim Malik described the visit of the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to Cairo on Wednesday as successful by all means.

In statements following the arrival of the Sudanese President from Cairo yesterday al- Zahawi said that the visit dealt with all issues of concern of interests to the two states, He indicated that al-Bashir briefed President Hosni Mubarak on steps taken so far on measures taken concerning the peace process in Sudan.