Eritrea: President Ends Sudan Visit
13 June 2006, KHARTOUM (Xinhua) -- Eritrean President Assias Afeworki left here for home on Tuesday after a historic visit to Sudan during which the two neighbors agreed to resume diplomatic relations.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir saw Afeworki off at the airport and appreciated an important role played by Eritrea in tackling conflicts in eastern Sudan.
"The whole file of the eastern Sudan issue is now in Eritrea, a matter which affirms depth of bilateral relations," said al-Bashir while referring to upcoming peace talks between the Sudanese government and eastern rebels in the Eritrean capital Asmara later this week.
Al-Bashir also affirmed Eritrea's remarkable role within the framework of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)in helping reach peace in south Sudan.
As for a recent peace agreement signed between the Sudanese government and Darfur rebels in the Nigerian Capital Abuja, the Sudanese president said that Eritrea had also contributed to peace negotiations which ended on May 5 and led to the signing of the peace agreement.
The Eritrean president, on his part, said that his opinions are identical with al-Bashir's during their talks on many issues.
He expressed hope that negotiations on the eastern Sudan file would lead to the settlement of the crisis.
"The solution to any issue in Sudan should be a Sudanese solution, and Eritrea's role in the negotiations is to facilitate and ensure this Sudanese solution," Afeworki said.
The Eritrean president arrived in Khartoum on Monday and held talks with President al-Bashir, First Vice President Salva Kiir Mayardit and other senior officials.
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