Foreign and Military Affairs

China keen on Sudan's stability and peace: envoy

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-07-04 19:27

KHARTOUM - Visiting Chinese Special Envoy to Darfur Liu Guijin said Sunday China is keen on Sudan's stability and peace and hopes to see south Sudan referendum conducted in a smooth and credible manner.

"We are keen on stability and peace in Sudan. We desire to see south Sudan referendum conducted in a smooth and credible manner because it is in the interest of Sudan and serves the stability in the region," Liu told reporters after meeting with Sudanese Minister of Cabinet Affairs Luka Biong here on Sunday.

"China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, will work with the international community, regional countries and the two parties of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), namely the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), to preserve peace and stability and sustain the development in this country," Liu added.

The Chinese official arrived here Saturday on a several-day visit to get acquaintance with plans of the new Sudanese government concerning the Darfur peace together with the progress in the implementation of the CPA, inked between north and south Sudan.

He commended the efforts of the NCP and the SPLM to implement the CPA, saying China is happy with the progress the two sides have achieved concerning the implementation of the CPA items and praises the recent step made by the government on formation of the south Sudan referendum commission.

Liu reiterated China's commitment to continuing support for Sudan's issues and dealing with both north and south Sudan, saying China is a friendly country to Sudan, in both its north and south.

China is the biggest investor in Sudan and presently there are Chinese companies operating in south Sudan and these companies will be major partners in the development in south Sudan, said Liu.

On the Darfur issue, Liu stressed the importance of finding a peaceful settlement for the conflict in Darfur.

"The Darfur issue can not be resolved but through political negotiations and wide participation of all the parties to the conflict in the peaceful process," he said.

Luka Biong, for his part, said the Sudanese government counts on the Chinese role in supporting the two government partners in the implementation of the remaining items of the CPA and conducting of the referendum on its fixed time.

Following the meeting with the Chinese envoy, Biong told reporters that "the new government has a work program to implement the CPA, conduct the referendum and establish development projects in the south. We are looking forward to a Chinese role that will help in accomplishing this goal."

Later in the day, Liu is expected to hold talks with Ghazi Salahuddin, the Sudanese government official in charge of the Darfur file and Mutrif Siddiq, Sudanese state minister for humanitarian affairs.