Bashir and Qandil bring both countries closer

Sudanese President Omar Bashir (L) and Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Qandil (R) Khartoum – Abedalgoum Ashmeag The Sudanese President Omar Bashir returned to the country Monday evening after a two-day visit to Egypt during which he held discussions with the Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi and the Prime Minister Hisham Qandil. He also met the Secretary General of the Arab League, Dr Nabil al- Araby
The two presidents agreed on accelerating the activation of main projects between the two countries and expanding the strategic partnership for the benefits of the people.
The discussion tackled the food security issue in the two countries. In return, it is expected that Qandil shall visit Khartoum next Wednesday, heading a ministerial delegation to discuss new horizons for cooperation and to push forward investments between the two countries
It is scheduled to inaugurate a branch of al Ahly bank in Khartoum during the visit in addition to an international road linking between Egypt and Sudan. The Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Karti said in press statements upon Bashir’s return from Egypt: “There were detailed discussions during the visit on some issues including economical issues, agricultural cooperation and investment field and the four freedoms file as they agreed that this vital file in particular will see some changes before holding the meetings of the high ministerial committee between the two countries.” He added that arrangements were discussed to link the two countries through a network of roads to be finished soon, in preparation for a leap in the trade movement between the two countries.
He affirmed that Qandil will visit Sudan next Wednesday to resume the discussions concerning the rest of the files, including the electric connection between the two countries in order to establish the agricultural projects near the Egyptian borders.
The Sudanese minister confirmed that the visit was a push to the Sudanese-Egyptian relations during which it was to agree to accelerate the implementation of some previous agreements. Karti described the visit as the true beginning of the relations between the two countries. He revealed that Sudan has presented an offer to Egypt to consider the disputed region Halaib between the two countries as a complementary region. Discussions are held to make it a real complementary region, not a disputed one.
Khartoum received Monday night all the 113 Sudanese captured by the Egyptian authorities for crossing the Egyptian borders in search for gold. They were received by the Minister of Human Development Resources , Kamal Abdelatif , the director of Egypt’s department in the Sudanese foreign ministry and a number of security and police leaders as well as their families. The decision was made following discussions between Morsi and Bashir in Cairo. Sudanese Ambassador in Egypt, Kamal Haasan, praised this Egyptian step. He pointed out that the Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi ordered to provide a private jet to transport those Sudanese. He said: “Such spirit shall build a well established relation between the Egyptians and the Sudanese.
Furthermore, 15 Egyptian fishermen who were detained in Osef port in the Red Sea state (East of the country) were freed. The official spokesman for the Sudanese armed forces, Colonel Sawarmi Khaled Saad said that those fishermen were arrested on August 20, were released in appreciation for Egypt’s decision to release the 113 Sudanese who crossed the Egyptian borders, searching for gold.