Sudanese negotiation progress on resources sharing

Sources close to the negotiations, ongoing in Kenya between the two delegations of the Sudanese government and the southern rebels, said that progress was attained on reaching an agreement on sharing resources.

The sources indicated that Sudan's (First) Vice-President, Ali Othman Muhammad Taha and leader of the southern rebels, John Garang, concentrated in their negotiations on the issue of sharing resources. The sources continued that the two sides "are doubling their efforts to reach results before the end of the current round on December 19th." The two sides had achieved progress in the security issue, and now are concentrating on the two issues of authority sharing and resources.

Sources representing the two sides expected reaching a comprehensive agreement before Christmas to that a comprehensive peace agreement to be signed later.

On the other hand, Pope John Paul II urged a visiting delegation, representing archbishops of Sudan, he had met in the Vatican yesterday, to encourage the current peace initiative with the aim to end the civil war the country has been suffering since two decades.