Mid September, the first direct meeting for Sudanese reconciliation

The chairman of the Libyan side to the Egyptian - Libyan initiative for reconciliation in Sudan, Suleiman al-Shahoumi, told the London based al-Hayat daily that the first direct meeting between the Sudanese government and the opposition will be held in Cairo on September 13 to prepare for the Sudanese national dialogue forum.

The chairman of the Egyptian side in the initiative, ambassador Fuad Youssef, expressed great optimism over the success of the mediation. He told al-Hayat in Cairo, "We felt care from the Sudanese government to settle the crisis with the opposition and an approval of the initiative which would provide a success for these efforts in order to achieve national reconciliation in Sudan."

Al-Shahoumi added that the meeting of the preliminary committee of the Sudanese national dialogue conference "will set the date, place, and basics for the dialogue and the principles on which the dialogue will be built."

He added that the basics of the Egyptian- Libyan initiative for a comprehensive political solution is maintaining "Sudan's territories and people's unity, achieving democratic pluralism and recognition of ethnic groups in Sudan."

He said that the joint initiative is composed of five points: immediate cessation of military operations, establishment of a mechanism for observing the cease-fire, a halt to hostile media campaigns between the two sides, the start starting direct dialogue between the government and the opposition, and setting up preliminary committees in preparation for the dialogue.

He added, "Egypt and Libya are to make contacts with IGAD states to coordinate with them in this regard."