Sudanese student unrest as Addis Ababa peace talks see progress

Students at Khartoum University renewed their demonstrations yesterday, in protest over the killing of a student under ambiguous circumstances after severe clashes took place between 2,000 student demonstrators and security forces who used tear gas, to scatter the demonstrators after they marched from the university to the center of the city, breaching security barriers.

Meanwhile, Sudanese peace talks in Addis Ababa concluded yesterday evening. A statement released by the peace process mediators confirmed that the two sides agreed upon the self-determination referendum in south Sudan according to the current borders which have been in place since Sudan's independence in 1956.

Rebels from the Sudanese People's Liberation Army headed by John Garang insisted on joining wide regions from the west and east to southern Sudan, while the government emphasized the necessity of a referendum within the context of the south.

Garang is to arrive soon in Cairo for a visit preceding the meetings of the Sudanese opposition leadership, during which it is expected that Egypt's President Mubarak will meet with a number of Egyptian officials to discuss the Sudanese developments after the talks in Addis Ababa.

Garang's visit to Egypt is his second in less than a year, as Garang met at the end of 1997 with Egypt's president and foreign minister.

The visit comes after Cairo setup shipments of humanitarian aid to be sent to the regions hit by famine in south Sudan.