Brussels, 17/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - On 11 April, the Swedish Presidency made the following declaration on behalf of the European Union:
"The EU has consistently supported the IGAD peace initiative but has also expressed concern at the lack of progress made so far in the peace process. The EU therefore notes with great interest President Daniel Arap Moi's visit to Khartoum 29-30 March 2001 with the aim of re-invigorating and moving forward the peace process in the Sudan under the auspices of IGAD. The EU welcomes the agreement reached between Kenya and Sudan to organise a Summit for IGAD Committee on the Sudan and calls on Kenya, in its capacity as chairman of the IGAD Committee, to convene this Summit as soon as possible. An active involvement at high political level of the IGAD is crucial in order to achieve substantial progress towards the end of the war. However, even more important is a firm political determination of both the Government of Sudan and the SPLM/A to find a peaceful solution to the conflict. The EU therefore calls on the parties to engage themselves in a continuous and sustained negotiation towards a just and lasting political settlement of the conflict in the Sudan and considers essential that a comprehensive ceasefire effectively monitored by observers accepted by both sides be promoted as a matter of urgency within the context of the ongoing IGAD negotiating process.
The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the EU, the associated countries Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, and the EFTA countries, members of the EEA align themselves with this declaration."