A slow start in Khartoum

By Dina Ezzat

Although not all confiscated properties would have been returned by the end of next year, officials say they believe the first round was a decent beginning that should be followed by more constructive steps.

"Relations between the two countries are crucial for both sides; anything could be talked about and solved," said a senior official.

Back from a 10-day trip to Khartoum, Fouad Youssef, head of the Sudan department at the Foreign Ministry, said his delegation was given "a very courteous reception by the Sudanese brothers, be they officials or ordinary citizens. There is a real understanding that close relations between both countries will always have to be maintained."

The 16-member delegation, representing the ministries of education and irrigation as well as others that have had their property confiscated, arrived in Khartoum on 16 April and returned to Cairo last Monday. The delegation's mission was to work out a schedule for the implementation of a decree issued by Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir on 13 March to restore to Cairo all its confiscated properties as a sign of goodwill and readiness to revive relations that had soured between the two Nile Valley states over mutual allegations of interference in internal affairs.

Sources told Al-Ahram Weekly that the Egyptian delegation arrived in Khartoum realising that a full and final schedule would not be completed by the end of the visit. Asked if he thought the negotiations were successful or problematic, one source said: "I don't think we need to necessarily use either word; we should not be saying the negotiations succeeded or failed. They were negotiations and they were meant to be this way."

According to another source, there were times when things appeared to be quite tough, yet it did not produce a sense of antagonism between the two sides. "I think that what we managed to do was quite compatible with the expectations we had," said one source. He explained that before the delegation's arrival, Egypt submitted a long list of the confiscated properties. "After giving the Khartoum government time to make its own survey, we went to Khartoum to find out whether they approved of our list. We never said that we are going to finalise everything. We know that there will be at least two more rounds of negotiations."

No date has been set for the next round, but it is likely to be held immediately before or after the first phase that will see the return of property. All negotiations will take place in Khartoum.

Some Cairo-based Sudanese sources appeared to share the Egyptian assessment. They suggested that the 10 days of negotiations in Khartoum were "okay for a start" but added that much more work needed to be done. They also cautioned that expectations on either side will have to be tailored within reasonable frameworks in order to facilitate the process.

A press communique was issued by the Sudanese department's chairman at the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday to "clear up all misunderstandings about the true nature and results of our mission." According to the communique, the first round of negotiations "ended by establishing a level of common understanding on the number of the confiscated properties and the way in which implementing the political decision that was taken to restore them was taken. The two sides will continue a close rapport to agree on the start of implementation and the hand-over [of these properties] to allow the Egyptian institutions to resume their noble role and message for the best interest of both peoples."

The properties in question include buildings and rest-houses owned by the Egyptian ministries of irrigation and defence, in addition to schools belonging to the Egyptian educational mission in Khartoum and elsewhere in Sudan. Of particular importance is the Khartoum branch of Cairo University, re-named the University of the Two Niles upon its confiscation. Egyptian officials say that it is not just a fairly big complex of buildings but an important symbol of Egypt's dedicated educational and cultural presence in Sudan. Khartoum hopes that it will be given a grace period of a few years on this particular institution, but Egypt appears to give it priority.

Sources on both sides affirm that despite the difference of opinions on some matters, there is sufficient political will on both sides to make things work. They also say that both sides wish to keep their differences under wraps to make sure that sensitivities do not resurface.

According to one official: "The main source of disagreement was the file of Sudan's involvement in supporting Egyptian militants. The file is being sorted out. Everything should be taken care of eventually."