Moussa, al-Mahdi meet on reconciliation in Sudan

Foreign Minister Amr Moussa yesterday conferred with Sudanese Ummah Party Leader Al-Sadek Al-Mahdi who said that the meeting was part of continued contacts Moussa was making with the different parties on realizing reconciliation in Sudan.

Moussa briefed Mahdi on the outcome of his contacts in Washington and discussed with him international initiatives on bringing about stability in Sudan.

"Agreement was reached on the necessity of coordinating stances in order to activate efforts to realize peace, stability and democracy in Sudan," Mahdi told reporters following his meeting with Moussa.

On prospects of success for the Egyptian-Libyan initiative in the light of differences between the Sudanese opposition and government, Mahdi spoke of a setback to the effort to continue dialogue between the two sides. He voiced hope the negative situation would be contained.

Asked if he was satisfied about the mission of the US envoy to Sudan, Mahdi, citing the US's intervention in Sudan as far as peace, human rights and assistance to affected parties were concerned, said he would meet with the American envoy to brief him on the Sudanese opposition's views on how the US interest could lead to positive results in the three areas of concern.

Mahdi called for the existence of a neutral and acceptable party to investigate into the reasons of the differences that broke out and the setback that ensued.

Mahdi also wanted the neutral party to get the different parties to commit to good conduct in the current circumstances in Sudan in order to ride out the current setback.

Asked which neutral party he had in mind that could help redress the existing setback, Mahdi said it is the Egyptian - Libyan initiative.

He compared it to another sponsored by the Inter Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and said the principles of the latter are confined to a bilateral framework, while the Egyptian-Libyan initiative envisages a comprehensive solution.