/ 23 January 2000

UDAN PRESIDENT AND SPEAKER MEET

SUDANESE President Omar al-Beshir and Islamist leader Hassan al-Turabi held a face to face meeting for the first time since a political conflict between the two about six weeks ago. Al-Rai Al-Akher independent daily said a ruling party mediatory committee managed to bring Beshir and Turabi together in a luncheon Friday to mark the end of the committee’s work of preparing proposals to end the crisis. Beshir, who ousted Turabi as parliament speaker in emergency measures imposed December 12, was last seen in public with his former ally at a meeting of the ruling National Congress party’s consultative council on December 27.