Cairo to host new round of Sudan talks on Sept. 28

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), an umbrella group of Sudanese opposition parties, Saturday said that it would begin a new round of talks with the Khartoum government in Cairo on September 28. "Preparations are under way for the Cairo meeting as scheduled for September 28," Abdel-Rahman Sa'eed, the deputy leader of the NDA, told MENA.

Sa'eed did not believe that the suspension of peace talks between the government and the two Darfur rebel movements in the Nigerian capital Abuja would cast a pall on other negotiating pathways to follow.

He confirmed that delegations were to arrive in Cairo for the expected talks, which the Sudanese opposition leader said would be co-chaired by Sudanese Vice-President Ali Othman Taha and NDA leader Mohamed Othman Al-Merghani.

On September 9, NDA announced a decision to disband its military wing and return to Sudan -much to boost chances for peace with the government.

The NDA military arm is based in east Sudan and Eritrea. It engaged in several armed combats with the Sudanese government in east Sudan.