Crown Prince Sultan, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defence and Aviation of Saudi Arabia, pledged to extend all support to Sudan during talks with the country’s vice president Ali Osman Taha who was on a visit to Riyadh on January 10. The talks mainly focused on the future of Saudi-Sudanese relations with special reference to a referendum in Sudan that may eventually create a new nation in Africa. “Taha briefed Crown Prince Sultan on the latest political developments in Sudan, especially concerning the south Sudan referendum,” said Osama Mahjoob Hassan, spokesman for the Sudanese Embassy, after the talks.
He said Taha also discussed with Prince Sultan the progress of “bilateral relations and ways of bolstering relations and cooperation further.” Hassan said the two leaders talked about “regional and international issues of mutual concern.” Peace and stability as well as “building a better Sudan and a better Africa” were also discussed, he added. Taha’s visit and the talks with top-ranking Saudi officials come within “the framework of bilateral consultations,” Sudanese Ambassador Abdel Hafiz Ibrahim said in a statement.