Sudanese foreign minister confers with Moussa

Sudanese Foreign Minister Mostafa Othman Ismael arrived at Cairo today at the beginning of an Arab - European tour, where he held with his Egyptian counterpart, Amr Moussa, a meeting concerning the normalization of relations between the two countries.

Othman expressed his hope that his talks in Cairo could lead to the normalization of relations.

Othman also expected to resume peace negotiations with southern Sudanese factions this month under the patronage of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), comprising Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda.

He added that the Kenyan government will specially a date through the consultations it holds with the concerned parties, emphasizing that the government abides by respecting the partial cease-fire accord in Bahr El-Gazal state, not conducting any military action until the date of convening the coming session of negotiations.

He also accused the Sudan People's Liberation Army, chaired by John Garang, of rallying his soldiers around Wau, the main town in the state.