A sudden meeting between Mubarak, Garang

President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt on Wednesday held a sudden meeting in Alexandria with the leader of the Southern Sudan rebel movement John Garang.

The meeting was attended by the chairman of the opposition democratic federation party Muhammad Othman al-Meirghani, at a time when the war ( of separation the south of Sudan) reached a grave situation in threatening to halt oil production.

Sudanese Presidential sources said that Mubarak held talks that were not declared before ( not on the schedule ) with al-Meirghani and Garang and that no statement was released after the meeting which was held in Burj al-Arab resort near Alexandria.

The Egyptian President listened to explanations made by al-Meirghani and Garang on the developments of conditions in Sudan and means of achieving national reconciliation.

The spokesman for the rebel movement Yasser Arman said that this visit stresses the strong relations between the Sudanese opposition and the Egyptian people and government.

Meantime, the leader of the al-Ummah council al-Sadeq al- Mahdi expressed his conviction that the flow of the Sudanese oil will push the US to review the policy it pursues towards Sudan and its relations with it, noting that the Bush administration wants to reconsider the Policy used to be pursued by Clinton's administration, because Washington wants to compete with other foreign states in exploring the Sudanese oil.

Moreover, the rebels of the People's Army for the Liberation of Sudan continue their advance forward in the province of West Baher al-Gazelle where he controlled in May several towns and positions. They stress that their positions, at the meantime, are positioned near Wao, the major city of the said province.

Garang said recently that the oil companies working in South Sudan in the areas under the control of the government are considered " legitimate targets" for the attacks of his forces, on the ground that oil resources pour in the treasure of the government of President Omar al-Bashir.

On the other hand, companies from Canada, France, China, Qatar, Sweden and Malaysia are investing oil projects in South Sudan. The element of oil emerged strongly following the military progress Garang had attained after he had controlled by the beginning of this month on the city of Raja, the second largest city in Baher al-Gazelle and a great threat to the capital of the district, Wao.

arabicnews.com