CAIRO, 23 September 2004 — Sudanese opposition groups are to gather in Cairo at the end of this month for a new round of peace talks with the government, the official MENA news agency reported yesterday. The negotiations, scheduled to open on Sept. 28 under the auspices of the head of Egyptian intelligence, Gen. Omar Suleiman, are expected to result in a deal between the government and its political opponents in the north.
MENA said the government delegation will be led by first Vice President Ali Osman Taha, who headed the government delegation at talks with southern rebels in Kenya.
Mohammed Osman Al-Mirghani, the chairman of the National Democratic Alliance, a grouping of northern and southern opposition groups, will lead the NDA’s team. The talks will be a sequel to those the held in Cairo at the end of August. The six-day closed-door talks ended with an agreement on a 13-point agenda, which is expected to form the basis for future talks and includes constitutional issues, general elections and economic policy.
Meanwhile, the Arab League confirmed yesterday that it would take part in a two-day meeting in Norway next week to discuss efforts to bring about peace in southern Sudan and the western region of Darfur.
The meeting of the IGAD Partners Forum, will also bring together delegates from France, Italy, Norway and the United States.
