Friday, December 09, 2005

Meles Gets Chummy with Sudan's Al Bashir and Nigeria's Ogumodia

allAfrica -- Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said the efforts launched to ensure sustainable peace in the Sudan have registered satisfactory results.

Prime Minister Meles made the remark while receiving a message from Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al Bashir here yesterday.

Conferring with President Al Bashir's Special Advisor Ghazi Slah El-Bin in his office, Prime Minister Meles said encouraging results have been witnessed from the ongoing efforts towards ensuring sustainable peace in the Sudan.

Meles said the inter-Sudanese peace talks aimed at bringing about sustainable peace in southern Sudan are also promising.

Prime Minister Meles also discussed with Dr. Ghazi the overall current affairs in the Sudan, according to a senior government official who attended the talks.

President Al Bashir in his message has invited Prime Minister Meles to attend the AU Summit due to be held at the end of next month in the Sudan, the official said, adding Prime Minister Meles has accepted the invitation and assured the Special Advisor that he would take part in the Summit.

After the talks, Dr. Ghazi told journalists that the Comprehensive Peace Accord signed by the Sudanese government and opposition forces is being implemented.

The Special Advisor said various activities aimed at creating favourable condition for the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Accord are also underway.

Similarly, Dr. Ghazi said efforts are being exerted and peace talks have also been carried out in a bid to peacefully resolve the Darfur crisis.

He also indicated discussions were held between him and Prime Minister Meles on the existing Ethio-Sudan cooperation, which, he said, has significant importance for the people of the two countries.

Also yesterday, Prime Minister Meles held talks with Nigerian Chief of Defense Staff General Ao Ogumodia on cooperations between the two countries.

Prime Minister Meles said the existing cooperation between Ethiopia and Nigeria is in good shape, and expressed Ethiopia's readiness to further enhance its cooperation with Nigeria.

After talks with the Premier, General Ogumodia told journalists that he paid a visit to Ethiopia while returning home after visiting the Nigerian peace-keeping contingent in Darfur.

He also said that he discussed with Prime Minister Meles the bilateral cooperation between Ethiopia and Nigeria.

He added the longstanding relation between Ethiopia and Nigeria is in good shape presently.

General Ogumodia indicated that he will hold discussions with Ethiopian Defense Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Samora Yenus on military cooperation between the two countries.

Meanwhile, first Vice President of the Sudan said Ethiopia has played a conspicuous role in the Comprehensive Peace Accord sealed towards ensuring lasting peace in the Sudan.

Ethiopia is extending considerable support to the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Accord reached between the government of Sudan and SPLM/A, Salva Kiir Mayardit said after talks with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi here yesterday.

Sudan's First Vice President Salva Kiir said the Comprehensive Peace Accord is being well implemented.

Ethiopia through the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and AU is significantly helping the Sudan to ensure sustained peace, he said.

He expressed conviction that Ethiopia's support to the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Accord would be replicated in the reconstruction effort as well.

The assistance of Ethiopia to construct infrastructure facilities in Southern Sudan is important, he said.

Ethiopia is a member of two committees established to oversee the implementation of the peace accord and reconstruction effort, he said.

He said he had held talks with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi concerning the implementation of the peace accord and the prevailing peace and security in the country.

Kiir said he exchanged views with Prime Minister Meles on ways of fostering ongoing cooperation between the two countries.

Ethio-Sudan Joint Commission meeting is due to take place soon in Khartoum, Sudan.

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