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.


Sudanās Government Committed to Keeping the Country Unified

   Peter Clottey 15 June 2010
   Sudan's  President  Omar al-Bashir makes a speach to parliament during
   the  Oath  of  Office  ceremony,  Thursday, May 27, 2010, in Khartoum,
   Sudan, after being re-elected to office

Photo: AP

   Sudan's  President  Omar al-Bashir makes a speach to parliament during
   the  Oath  of  Office  ceremony,  Thursday, May 27, 2010, in Khartoum,
   Sudan, after being re-elected to office

   A  leading  member  of Sudanās ruling National Congress Party told VOA
   President  Omar  Hassan  Al-Bashirās  newly formed unity government is
   seeking  to  the  keep  the country whole during implementation of the
   2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

   Rabie  Abdulatti  Obeid  also said the government is preparing for the
   semi-autonomous south Sudanās referendum scheduled for January 2011.

   āThe  formation  of this new government (will) target the unity of the
   country,  and  the  main and major function of this government will be
   the  preparation  and  arrangement for the referendum. Also, they will
   work  very hard with other political institutions to achieve unity and
   make unity attractive,ā he said.

   The  referendum  will  allow  residents  of  southern  Sudan to decide
   whether to remain part of Sudan or become an independent nation.

   Last May, President Bashir agreed with first Vice President Salva Kiir
   to  form a referendum commission to organize what analysts say will be
   a landmark vote that could determine whether the semi-autonomous south
   Sudan secedes.

   But,  NCP official Obeid said the countryās unity will be the priority
   of the new government.

   āWe are now waiting for the program of unity, which will be adopted by
   this government,ā Obeid said.

   Despite  a  reported  15-day  delay,  President  Bashir  announced the
   formation  of  his  administration largely dominated by members of his
   ruling  NCP.  He,  however,  included  a handful of ministers from the
   southern Sudan Peopleās Liberation Movement (SPLM) in the newly formed
   government.

   According to Sudanās media, the administration comprises 22 members of
   the  NCP in the new cabinet, eight from the SPLM, three portfolios for
   other southern Sudanese parties and three others for northern Sudanese
   parties that participated in the general elections.

   But,  critics  say  President  Bashir  failed  to  keep his promise of
   including  more  opposition parties in the government ā a charge Obeid
   denies.

   āThere  (were)  a  lot  of  discussions and negotiations with the UMMA
   party led by Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi, the former vice president. Also, there
   were  a  lot  of  negotiations with the Democratic Party also who came
   this  morning and I think that still there are negotiations going on,ā
   Obeid said.

   The  Comprehensive  Peace  Agreement  (CPA)  signed  between President
   Bashirās  government and the SPLM effectively ended Sudanās civil war.
   Over  two million Sudanese reportedly died during the war which lasted
   for more than two decades.

   Meanwhile,  Sudanās  new  foreign minister, Ali Karti, has warned that
   any  dispute  over  the  results of next yearās referendum on southern
   Sudanās  independence  could  plunge  the  entire country into another
   round of war.

   Karti  was  quoted  as  saying, āIt will be a difficult and tough war,
   different from the previous one because both sides are better equipped
   militarily.ā

.