Improvements continue in Eygpt - Sudan relations

Senior Sudanese officials made new steps yesterday towards returning strained Egyptian-Sudanese relations to normal. Sudanese parliament deputy speaker, Abdel Aziz Shedou, praised Egyptian support of territorial integrity in Sudan.

He said the recent visit by John Garang, leader of the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) to Cairo showed the Egyptian stance on Sudan's unity.

"The call for confederation launched by Garang during the pace talks in Nairobi, was destroyed in Cairo" he said.

In a related development, Sudan's foreign trade minister, Osman Al-Hadi, received an invitation from his Egyptian counterpart, Dr. Ahmed Goweili, to visit Egypt. He is expected in Cairo on December 30, Al Khartoum daily said today.