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Al-Ahram Weekly 17 - 23 June 1999 Issue No. 434 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 17 - 23 June 1999 Issue No. 434
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Features Living Travel Sports Time Out Chronicles People Cartoons Letters On two tracks with Sudan
By Dina EzzatEgypt seems to be making parallel progress in improving its bilateral relations with Sudan and in encouraging a national reconciliation between the Khartoum government and opposition groups.
Early next month, a group of representatives of the Sudanese opposition is expected to visit Cairo for a meeting with Foreign Minister Amr Moussa. The latter is expected to convey a message of "flexibility" from the Sudanese government that was brought by Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Othman Ismail, who was in Cairo on 9 June for talks with Moussa.
"The Sudanese government is talking about reconciliation and it is saying that it is prepared for compromise; obviously the opposition, too, will have to consider making compromises. The test will be the negotiating table," commented one informed source.
At his meeting with the opposition figures, Moussa will have to work on resolving the disagreements that surfaced recently within opposition ranks, to help produce a coordinated opposition agenda that could be conducive to negotiations with the Sudanese government.
Asked about the possibility of a reconciliation conference being hosted by Cairo, Moussa replied: "There are positive [indications] in this connection, but, so far, we cannot talk about specifics."
For his part, Ismail said that Sudan welcomes Egypt's efforts to forge a Sudanese national rapprochement, adding that his government will be willing to talk with the opposition once the parameters of negotiations are made clear.
"Clarifying the parameters will need a little more time," said a diplomatic source.
A little more time also appears to be needed for finalising preparations for a much talked about summit between President Hosni Mubarak and Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir.
Asked about prospects, Ismail responded: "We are making headway on all fronts, and we are working to set the tone for such a meeting."
"Basically, we [Egypt and Sudan] have achieved much of the work that is needed to open the way for this meeting," said an informed source.
Indeed, Sudan has extradited one Islamist militant wanted by Egypt and is likely to hand over other militants. Khartoum also disbanded most, if not all, Islamist militant camps targeting Egypt that Cairo used to complain about. Security officials from both sides have been exchanging visits and information. And Egypt is not allowing the Sudanese opposition to use its soil as a springboard for action against the Khartoum regime. Moreover, Egypt is talking to the United States about removing Sudan's name from the list of countries supporting terrorism.
In another boost to bilateral relations, Sudan last month handed over a good number of Egyptian properties in Khartoum that had been confiscated in the early 1990s. More handovers are expected to take place soon. Concerned officials on both sides are engaged in a continuous dialogue to arrange "a full and comprehensive conclusion of this matter before the end of the year," a source said.
And, for the first time since last summer, when Ismail started visiting Cairo on a fairly frequent basis, Sudan's foreign minister was received at the airport by Moussa. Moreover, Moussa and Ismail made statements in praise of developments in bilateral relations that were aired on the main news bulletin of Cairo TV's Channel One.
Equally important, the post of Egyptian ambassador to Khartoum, vacant since the early 1990s, will be filled soon. Some sources even suggest that the ambassador's name may be announced "within a few days or a few weeks".
Sources speculate that if Mubarak decides to personally take part in the upcoming Organisation of African Unity (OAU) summit that is expected to take place in Algeria next month, then his meeting with Al-Bashir will be held there. If Mubarak's other commitments prompt him to delegate Moussa to attend the OAU summit, then the meeting with Al-Bashir will probably take place in Cairo following the OAU summit.
Moussa discussed this prospective meeting with Al-Bashir in Nairobi last month when they both took part in the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) conference.
"Then again, President Mubarak may decide that he wants to have this meeting before July. I think that matters have reached the stage of decision-making, and this is entirely a presidential prerogative," said an official source.
In Moussa's words, "The positive curve of the chart of Egyptian-Sudanese relations is on the rise."
