MOSCOW, April 14. /ITAR-TASS/. The situation in Darfur, the problem of the Horn of Africa area, and the develoment of bilateral trade-and-economic contacts will be discussed here on Monday at talks to be held by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Russia and Sudan, Sergei Lavrov and Ali Karti.
"Ali Karti's visit is within the scope of the regular Russo-Sudanese high-level political dialogue on key international and regional themes, as well as matters that are on Sudan's agenda, including the problem of building a relationship between Sudan and South Sudan on the well-known international legal basis and the task of achieving a lasting stability in Darfur," Russia's Foreign Ministry official pointed out.
"The bilateral agrements, concluded between Khartoum and Juba in September 2012, including the one on security in the border zone, have furnished an important basis for the establishment of goodneighbourly relations between the Republic of Sudan and South Sudan," the Ministry official emphasized.
"At present, the Sudanese people are in need of an active support on the part of both regional organizations, primarily the mediatory mechanisms of the African Union, and at international level, including the UN Security Council, with a view to resuming mutual headway towards lasting peace and effective cooperation in bilateral affairs, so essential in enuring a sustainable economic growth, and solution of pressing social problems," the Ministry official said, specifying that "the sides at the talks in Moscow will devote much attention to the situation in Darfur, including tasks concerning a further advancement of the political process on the basis of the signing of the Treaty of Peace in May 2011 between the government of Sudan and part of Sudanese opposition".
"The sides will also touch upon matters relating to foreign assistance to Khartoum in implementing socio-economic programmes in Darfur region," the Russian Foreign Minitry official said.
Sergei Lavrov and Ali Karti "will discuss, specifically, the most acute problems of the Horn of Afrca area, exchange views on ways to overcome challenges and threats that are being encountered by Middle Eastern and Norh African countries at the stage of an in-depth reforming processes".
The two Ministers are also to consider in detail the present state of and prospects for the development of Russo-Sudanese relations, a further strengthening of bilateral interaction in the trade-and-economic spherere, inclding that through implementation of the decisions of the first session of the Russia-Sudan intergovernmental commission for trade-and-economic cooperation. The session was held in Khartoum from December 16 to 20, 2013.
Ali Karti will also meet with members of the Russian Federal Assembly (parliament) and representatives of scientific and business communities.