Sudan: Vice-president says final agreement "not" difficult to reach

BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Sep 16, 2003

After a comprehensive cease-fire has been ensured in all areas of operation in southern Sudan, talks between the government and the [rebel] SPLM [Sudan People's Liberation Army], continued under the chairmanship of the Sudanese vice-president, Ali Uthman Muhammad Taha, and the SPLM leader, John Garang. [Passage omitted]

Meetings of the committee on military and security arrangements followed all through yesterday.

The government and the SPLM agreed on the basis of the Machakos agreement, on a comprehensive cease-fire in all areas of operation.

Ali Uthman said that the ongoing talks were aimed at reaching a final agreement and this did not seem difficult to reach as it did at the onset of negotiations.

During a press conference with Sudanese media yesterday in Naivasha [central-western Kenya], Ali Uthman said the end of talks on military and security arrangements meant closing the issue of war for good.

Source: Al-Anba, Khartoum, in Arabic 16 Sep 03

� BBC Monitoring

Sudanese peace talks said making progress on "various tracks"

BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Sep 16, 2003

Nairobi, 16 September: The peace negotiations between the Sudanese government and SPLM [Sudan People's Liberation Movement] realized progress in their 12th day Monday in the various tracks of the negotiations, top of them the cease-fire.

First Vice-President Ali Uthman Muhammed Taha described in a press statement the negotiations has realized progress and [was] characterized by frankness.

He explained that the two parties are determined to reach peace, affirming that peace represents an strategic option for Sudan.

Meanwhile, SPLM leader Dr John Garang backed the first vice-president's statement, explaining that the session is useful and that there are indicators for the realization of peace.

Source: Suna news agency, Khartoum, in English 1332 gmt 16 Sep 03

� BBC Monitoring

Uganda: Reform body asks Sudan to explain claims of rebels support

BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Sep 16, 2003

16 September

The Reform Agenda (RA) has challenged Sudan to explain reports that it has renewed its support to the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) of Joseph Kony. RA said Uganda should also take a cue and stop supporting the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in order to end the suffering in northern Uganda.

RA Publicity Secretary Beti Kamya told journalists yesterday that much as everybody is convinced about the need for liberating southern Sudan, Uganda must choose the Acholi and stop supporting the SPLA. "What will stop Kony is Sudan's pulling out of his war, which will in turn depend on Uganda's position on the SPLA," Kamya said. "The Uganda government must chose whether to fight Sudan's wars or Uganda's wars," she added.

Asked to throw more light on the Uganda government support for SPLA, Kamya said, "I am not going to speak authoritatively on SPLA, but the president admitted at one time that he morally supports the SPLA. And many people do, I do myself. The people of southern Sudan have a point, but we must choose to either support southern Sudan or the Acholi."

She commended the Church Missionaries Society London who she said were mobilizing internationally against the Kony war. Kamya accused the government of trying to manipulate the constitutional review process in its favour.

Source: The New Vision web site, Kampala, in English 16 Sep 03

� BBC Monitoring

Full Honours for Kibaki's 3-day State Visit to US

BY KEVIN KELLEY
The Nation (Kenya); Sep 12, 2003

President Kibaki will use his three-day State visit to the United States next month to discuss terrorism with President George W. Bush.

The two presidents are also expected to discuss Kenya's leadership in the search for peace in Sudan and Somalia.

The US is organising a full ceremonial welcome for President Kibaki "because we have shown that governments can be changed through the ballot, not the gun", Kenya's ambassador to the US, Dr Yusuf Nzibo, said.

President Kibaki will only be the fourth national leader to be received in this manner in the US during the Bush presidency. The leaders of Mexico, Poland and the Philippines have earlier received such honour.

This is the first time such an invitation has been extended to a Kenyan head of State. "It is a very historic visit for us," the envoy said.

By extending the coveted State visit invitation, the US is signalling that Kenya ranks as one of its closest allies in the developing world.

President Bush is scheduled to honour President Kibaki with a formal dinner at the White House on October 6, following a meeting earlier the same day.

After the White House meeting and another at the State Department with Secretary Colin Powell, President Kibaki will be hosted at a luncheon by the Corporate Council on Africa.

On October 7, President Kibaki will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place for thousands of American war dead.

He will also pay his respects at a cemetery that honours the victims of the 1998 US embassy bombings in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.

Dr Nzibo said President Kibaki would seek further help in addition to the country's share of a $100 million (Sh7.5 billion) East African anti-terrorism fund announced by President Bush two months ago.

Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media. (allafrica.com)

Somalia: Factions unhappy with peace talks in Kenya meet to strategize

BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Sep 11, 2003

site on 9 September

The Transitional National Government [TNG] of Somalia and about four main political groups have issued a statement on Tuesday [9 September] after holding a meeting in the capital Mogadishu.

The TNG president, Abdiqasim Salad Hasan, and four prominent faction leaders including Barre Adan Shire, the leader of the Jubba Valley Alliance [JVA, pro-government southern alliance], Muse Sudi Yalahow, Usman Ato and Muhammad Ibrahim Habsade [of the RRA, Rahanwein Resistance Army], attended the meeting.

These leaders have mainly walked out of the ongoing Somali peace conference in Nairobi in protest of some aspects about it.

In amazing development, the TNG president and faction leader, Yalahow, who once were fighting as enemies have been shaking hands during the meeting.

Bu this was described by many political analysts in Mogadishu as a significant shift of Somalia's mercurial politics.

In the end of the meeting, the leaders have issued a statement calling on the IGAD technical committee for the peace conference to transfer the chairmanship of the peace process to the Somalis.

Earlier, the TNG president has called on the committee to replace the current chairman of the conference, the Kenyan mediator Bethwel Kiplagat.

But his comments have added nothing to the whole process of the conference.

Source: HornAfrik Online text web site, Mogadishu, in English 9 Sep 03

� BBC Monitoring