Foreign Minister: Sudan to share power, wealth with rebels

Published November 11th, 2002 - 02:00 GMT
Al Bawaba
Al Bawaba

Sudan’s Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said on Monday his country was willing to share its power and wealth with rebels, in the hope of putting an end to the 19-year war and preserving the unity of Africa's largest country.  

 

"(We want) to give the south confidence and a high participation in power. This is not a problem for us and we will reach a solution regarding this (power-sharing)," Ismail told reporters in the Egyptian capital of Cairo.  

 

"We need...to stop the war and for a fair distribution of wealth, power and to reconstruct the south. This will strengthen unity's chances," he said, according to the Saudi Press Agency.  

 

Khartoum and the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) are holding peace talks in Machakos, Kenya, which follow a framework deal in July that allows southerners to opt for independence following a six-year period of administrative autonomy.  

 

Meanwhile, earlier this month, Sudan said it was ironing out the final details with the SPLA on dividing political power and had started to discuss the issue of wealth-sharing.  

 

Ismail described the peace talks in Kenya, which are expected to break off in the next couple of weeks as a "limited success". Negotiations are set to resume in the month of January.  

 

"The peace talks are progressing normally. We can't say that they have reached a blocked road or that they are moving with the required speed to say a peace deal will be signed in the coming few weeks but there is limited success," Ismail conveyed. (Albawaba.com) 

© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

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