Riyadh/Juba: Sudanese vice President Ali Osman Taha is due in Riyadh tomorrow on a one-day official visit to Saudi Arabia.
The Sudanese senior official, whose visit to the Saudi capital will come one day after people in Southern Sudan vote in a referendum where they will choose either to remain united with the South or to secede, is carrying a written message from Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir to Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz.
Taha will brief Prince Sultan, who is also the Saudi defense minister, on current developments in Sudan following the kick off of Southern Sudan referendum on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Southerners began on Sunday their voting process through more than 3,000 voting centers inside and outside the country. The number of southerners who reregistered and eligible for voting has reached 3,930,916. Voting will continue till the mid of this month and the result will be announced at the beginning of February.
Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir said his government is committed with the provisions of the peace agreement including the results of the referendum.
In statements while receiving former US President Jimmy Carter in Khartoum Saturday, the President said his country is keen to maintain cooperation between the north and the south during the upcoming period and will work for solving all outstanding issues between the two sides. He added that even if the southerners go for secession, cooperation with continue.
For his part, Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) said, "There is no option other than peaceful coexistence between the north and the south."
Speaking in front of the Presidential building in Juba, he said "No return to war. He added, with Senator John Kerry standing beside him, "The referendum is not the end but a start of a new phase."
Meanwhile, Sudanese ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Abdul Hafiz Ebrahim, said in statements to Gulf News, that during his visit to Riyadh, the Sudanese vice president will brief Saudi Crown Prince on latest developments in Sudan.
He pointed out that the Sudanese official, who is accompanied by high ranking delegation, including foreign minister, Ali Karti, the minister of agriculture, Abdul Halim Al Mutaafi, will brief the Saudi leadership on post-referendum arrangements, the future of Sudan in case southern opt for secession and the efforts being exerted by the Sudanese government to guarantee the country's security and stability and solving the crisis in Darfur.
The National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) the partners of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), known as Naivasha, have surrendered to reality and agreed on the importance of partnership between the two countries in future. They underlined their commitment for solving the oil-rich Abyei area according to the agreement and the guidelines of the African union ad hoc committee, chaired by former South African President Thambo Mbeiki.
Dr. Luka Biong, Minister of the Council of Ministers and a senior figure in SPLM reaffirmed the SPLM has agreed with NCP for solving all post-referendum issues. He noted that Abyei issue should be solved before the end of the transitional period. He expressed fear that such issues may lead to re-eruption of war. He said it is 90% that secession will be voted for, adding that the government of southern Sudan is committed to utilize infrastructure in northern Sudan within a framework of economic partnership between the two sides.
