Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


NCP Open to Opposition Solutions to Sudanās Problems, Says Official

   Peter Clottey 29 April 2010

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS

   FILE  -  This  Sept. 14, 2007 file photo shows Sudanese President Omar
   al-Bashir  at  a  joint  press  conference with Italian Premier Romano
   Prodi,  unseen,  after their meeting at Chigi Palace, in Rome. Appeals
   judges  ordered  the International Criminal Court on Wednesday Feb. 3,
   2010  to reconsider its decision not to indict Sudanese President Omar
   al-Bashir  on charges of genocide in Darfur. The ruling could pave the
   way  for  al-Bashir  to  be  indicted  with  humanity's  worst crime _
   attempting  to  wipe  out  entire  ethnic  groups  in  the war-ravaged
   province. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)

   A  leading  member  of  President  Omar  Hassan  al-Bashirās  National
   Congress  Party  (NCP) says the ruling party is negotiating with other
   opposition parties to find solutions to problems in Sudan.

   Hagmagid  Swar,  head of the Political Mobilization Secretariat of the
   dominant  NCP,  says  the  aim  of the ongoing talks is to ensure that
   āabsoluteā  peace and security return to the country while emphasizing
   the need for unity in the aftermath of general elections.

   ā(The) NCP is in negotiations with the other parties in Sudan so as to
   have  solutions  for  the  coming  problems which we have to answer to
   these   questions:   first,   the   question  of  referendum  and  the
   implementation of the CPA (Comprehensive Peace Agreement), and solving
   the Darfur problemĀ  and facing the needs of our people,ā he said.

   The  NCP  said  during  Sudanās  general elections it would invite all
   opposition groups into government if it won the election.

   Swar  said the ruling party wants solutions from all groups to resolve
   challenges the country faces.

   āThe  NCP  decided  to  discuss  these  issues  with the other parties
   because  as you know, Sudan is for all, for NCP and the other parties.
   So now we have negotiations with these other parties,ā Swar said.

   Sudanās National Electoral Commission declared President Bashir winner
   of  the vote after several opposition groups boycotted the poll citing
   widespread irregularities.

   But  Swar  said  opposition  reservations  will not hamper the ongoing
   negotiations.

   āBefore  the election, they started to build this strategy to say that
   the  elections  are not fair. So I donāt think that this position will
   affect  the  negotiations  with  them,  because  now  we received some
   answers from different parties. They said we are ready to discuss with
   you these issues,ā Swar said.

   The  recent  five-day  general  election was Sudanās first in 24 years
   after  decades  of  civil  war.  The vote is also integral to the 2005
   Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed between the north and the south.

   The  NCP  has  often  been  accused  of  lacking the political will to
   complete  a  full  implementation  of  the  CPA,  but  Swar denies the
   accusation.

   āThis  is not right. I assure you that we are genuine to discuss these
   issues with the parties, and especially with the SPLM, because we have
   to solve the problem of the referendum and the territories between the
   south and the northā¦ we said that now we start a new era in Sudan, so
   let us all come to a round table to discuss these problems and to come
   to an agreement with all the other parties,ā Swar said.

   He  said  that President-Elect Bashir will soon name his cabinet. Swar
   also said that the new cabinet will focus on completing implementation
   of the CPA and solving the problems in Darfur.

.