AL warns Washington against partition of Sudan

The Arab League has warned the US in that the decision recently taken by the US Congress to provide aid to the Sudan People's Liberation Front/Army may lead to the partition of Sudan.

Meanwhiie, officials at the Ummah and Democratic Unionist opposition parties held a meeting in Cairo, during which they decided to halt media campaigns and to concentrate on means of providing a success for the meetings of the opposition (coalition) due to be held in Kampala.

Meanhwhile, the Arab League has asserted to the US ambassador to Egypt, Daniel Kurtzer, its backing to Sudan's unity and stability. It said the recent decision taken by the US in to allow direct food backing for the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army, led by Col. John Garang, might lead to the partition of Sudan.

The AL also called on Washington to understand the Arab position concerning Sudan and to deal seriously with the Egyptian-Libyan initiative, which aims at finding a political solution to the Sudanese problem.

On Thursday, the Arab ambassadors accredited to the AL held a meeting at the AL's premisis in Cairo, chaired by AL chief Esmat Abdul Meguid.

The participants in the meeting discussed a memorandum submitted by Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Othman Ismael speaking about the dangers that resulted from the decision taken by the US Congress to the unity of Sudan.

Following the meeting, the AL chief summoned the US ambassador to Egypt and informed him about the position adopted by the AL.

The AL preferred not to take any escalation measures concerning the decision taken by the US Congress and Washington's rejection of the Libyan-Egyptian reconciliation initiative to give diplomatic efforts and current contacts with the US administration a chance to reach a middle solution, as US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will visit Cairo next Thursday to meet with her Egyptian counterpart, Amr Moussa, and that question of Sudan is on top of the agenda of talks between the two sides.