ME and Ophelia

BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR
Will visit Sudan next Wednesday

This is amazing news. Hope it is true. Just found the following report at Xinhuanet:

British Prime Minister Tony Blair will visit Sudan next Wednesday, a Sudanese official announced today.

"During the one-day official visit, Blair will hold talks with Sudanese President Omar El-Bashir and First Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, Sudanese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nageeb Al-Khair Abdul-Wahab said in a press statement.

Abdul-Wahab said that Blair's talks with the Sudanese leadership would concentrate on bilateral relations and the peace process in Sudan, particularly negotiations between the government and rebels in the south and west parts of the country. Welcoming the visit, Abdul-Wahab described it as an opportunity for consultations between Blair and the Sudanese government and obtaining first hand information on Darfur.

"The visit will be helpful for Britain, an important part in international relations, to obtain a clear picture on Darfur as well as the views of the Sudanese government," the Sudanese official added.

Abdul-Wahab said that Britain's stances on Darfur were distinctive and different from those of the United States.

He said that "there is a good progress in the views of the West toward Darfur."
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Update (Sunday): BBC report confirms doctors have said the chances of Mr Blair's heart flutter returning are very low and he plans to go ahead with a trip to Africa next week. The prime minister is having a quiet weekend after hospital treatment for an irregular heartbeat.
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Note, new posts at Sudan Watch and Passion of the Present. Updated several blogs in sidebar including health blog A Breath of Hope (see sidebar here on the right).