A warm welcome for improved relations with Sudan

Egyptian and Sudanese officials said that the decision taken by Sudanese President Omar El-Bashir to make rapid arrangements to reconsider a 1992 Sudanese government order to confiscate Egyptian establishments will contribute to the accelerating reconciliation between the Egyptians and Sudanese.

A source in the Sudanese presidency said that committees from the ministries of irrigation and higher education started making rapid arrangements to review the state of the confiscated Egyptian establishments.

He added that these efforts are in keeping with the country's policy, which aims at removing the obstacles facing the political development witnessed in relations between the two countries.

Egyptian diplomatic sources see President Bashir's description of these properties as "Egyptian" as a positive signal, and said this decision paves the way for the visit intended by the Sudanese president to Egypt.

The sources stated that coordination with Sudan moves from bilateral relations to discussing African and Arab affairs.