Remarks With Kenyan Foreign Minister Kalonzo Musyoka and IGAD Special Envoy General Lazero Sumbeiywo After Multilateral Meeting With Sudanese Peace Process Coordinators

2003/1074

SECRETARY POWELL: Good morning, ladies and gentleman. It is a great pleasure for me to join Vice President Taha and Dr. John Garang and my dear colleague, the Foreign Minister of Kenya, and (inaudible) Sumbeiywo of Kenya, who has served as the shepherd, really, of these talks for so many months now. I think it is especially fitting that we are able to gather in this peaceful setting to mark the accomplishments of the two parties, who meeting here, in their effort to achieve a lasting peace in Sudan. President Bush has asked me to come here today to encourage the parties to continue their work and put added energy to their work, and also to demonstrate his commitment to bringing peace to Sudan. It has been a goal of President Bush’s Administration since the very first day to do everything we could to help bring peace to Sudan, to help the Sudanese people. Our efforts over the last two plus years, the efforts of Senator Danforth and other members of President Bush’s Administration, we have seen a great deal of progress and we are pleased with the progress that has been accomplished. But there is still a bit more to be done. I would like to express my government’s gratitude to the many leaders involved in trying to bring this process to fruition. We thank the leaders of the IGAD states, who have provided the forum for these talks.

We thank General Sumbeiywo, who has personally been of such influence, who has shepherded this process through its highs and lows over the past 18 months. And, finally, we thank the Kenyan government for its hospitality and unwavering support to this difficult and complex process, particularly as evidenced by the commitment and leadership of President Kibaki and the Foreign Minister, who is here with us today.

We acknowledge that the parties have come a long way in this process. They have overcome key hurdles with the signing of the Machakos Protocol in July 2002, the signing of an agreement on cessation of hostilities, and, most recently, the signing of an agreement on security arrangements. And that agreement was probably the most difficult of the agreements that have to be concluded. But, they succeeded by their commitment and by their desire to help their people to sign that agreement and to continue the process. And the way is now open, it is absolutely clear to me, that the way is now open to a final and comprehensive solution.

We must find a solution. This is a moment of opportunity that must not be lost. The people of Sudan have known hardship and devastation for too long. All the people of Sudan, Northerners and Southerners alike, are hungry, are desperate, for an end to this conflict. It is time now for the leaders assembled here to complete the final stage of this marathon, to enable the Sudanese people to experience a new way of life unclouded by the suffering of war.

Based on what I have heard here today, and I’ve had good conversations with the parties together, as well as individually, with Vice President Taha and Dr. John. Based on what I have heard, I believe that the final agreement is within the grasp of the parties. Both sides are making excellent progress on wealth sharing. And there are a few remaining issues that have to be resolved, but I can see the end in sight on the wealth sharing discussions. Power sharing, I think, can be dealt with in the near future. And the three conflict areas, I think can be dealt with, as well. And I know that is the basket of issues that will probably take the greatest work. But I think all of us are confident it can be resolved in the weeks ahead.

And now both parties have agreed to remain in negotiations and conclude a comprehensive settlement no later than the end of December. And both gentlemen have committed themselves to that goal of having a comprehensive settlement by the end of December. Once the parties have signed the final comprehensive agreement for peace, President Bush looks forward and has invited them to come to the White House so that he can recognize their achievement, and also endorse the agreement. And at that moment when the President does receive these leaders and other leaders at the White House, he will once again commit the United States to assisting in the implementation of the agreement. A lot of work will come after the agreement has been signed. The United States will remain just as committed to that work as it has been to the process so far.

So let me thank the Foreign Minister for his hospitality, my good friend the General, for his hard work, and to the Vice President and Dr. Garang, and their delegation for being here and continuing this work, and for the commitment you have made to peace. And we have a few weeks to go before the end of December, and I look forward to getting the news that it has been done.

Thank you very much. Congratulations.

FOREIGN MINISTER MUSYOKA: Mr. Secretary and dear colleague, Mr. Colin Powell, Your Excellencies and all of us, General Sumbeiywo and the Envoys, and members of the press, at the occasion to, behalf of President Kibaki, the Kenyan government and the Kenyan people, to welcome Mr. Secretary of State.

But let me reiterate that we are indeed overwhelmed by your presence here. It is the African way. You could have chosen to meet with these friends in Nairobi, but you chose to come to where they are. And, therefore, this has become our Camp David. Naivasha will then go down in history as a place where these two friends were able to plant a tree that is supposed to cure cancer. They did it jointly. And this tree will stand as testimony of their commitment to peace in their great country. And therefore we look forward, and everybody does realize, including the international community, that that peace process in the Sudan is now irreversible.

I remember on the 22^nd of September, the Vice President and Dr. Garang assured me that I could quote them. And I did exactly that before the UN General Assembly, that the peace process for the Sudan has become irreversible. As the Secretary of State you do us proud by coming all the way, and please express our appreciation to President Bush, and indeed all the American people, because they have stood in solidarity with the suffering people of the Sudan.

May God bless you. Thank you.

SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you, sir.

GENERAL SUMBEIYWO: Ladies and gentleman, due to time constraints for the Secretary we will leave the two principals to answer a few questions while the Minister escorts the Secretary. Thank you.