Spare Sudan CAIRO says it is moving to save Khartoum from a new political and, maybe, financial confrontation with the international community over developments in Darfur. On Monday, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit and General Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman arrived in Khartoum for talks with Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir. The one-day visit, according to a press statement issued by the foreign minister's office, aimed at communicating a message from President Hosni Mubarak to Al-Bashir on ways to avoid an escalated crisis between Sudan and the international community on Darfur. Speaking to diplomatic reporters at the Foreign Ministry on the eve of his trip, Abul-Gheit said the crux of Egypt's mission was to activate the political process which has produced a peace deal in Sudan "with the inclusion of all Sudanese parties concerned." Washington issued a stern warning to the Khartoum regime over the weekend to move towards reconciliation in Darfur and to allow for an international peace-keeping force to observe the safety of the civilian population there, or face international sanctions. The tough line has been supported by other permanent members of the UN Security Council. Before arriving in Khartoum, Abul-Gheit sent letters to the foreign ministers of the five members of the Security Council appealing for "a confidence-building approach rather than a threatening language in dealing with the Sudanese government." He also aimed at garnering the support of UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon for diplomacy rather than sanctions on Darfur. On Saturday in Geneva, Moon called on the Security Council to allow more time for diplomacy before considering whether to impose further economic and military sanctions on Sudan. The international community should wait and see whether Sudan's decision to allow the deployment of the UN's so-called "heavy support package" to assist the 7,000-strong African Union force in Darfur indicates a serious commitment by Khartoum to abide by a three-phase stabilisation plan agreed upon for the volatile western region last year, he said. "My position is that when the moment of truth comes and we know that they [Sudan] will not be faithful in implementing this commitment, then I will leave it to Security Council members to take the necessary measures against Sudan," he said. Egypt, for its part, is hoping to persuade Sudan to cooperate before the moment of truth arrives. Egypt is planning to take part in a limited African foreign ministers meeting hosted by Libya to discuss a possible political stand-off between Sudan and the UN. Another amendment SAFWAT El-Sherif, the secretary-general of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP), has said the NDP conducted a national dialogue with opposition parties on the amendment of the 1956 law on the exercise of political rights. On Monday, El-Sherif met representatives of six low-key parties, in addition to Mahmoud Abaza and Rifaat El-Said, leaders of the two main opposition parties Al-Wafd and Tagammu. El-Sherif said his meetings were held upon the instructions of President Hosni Mubarak. "President Mubarak said it was quite important that the ruling party take into account views of opposition parties before drafting the new amendment of the 1956 law on the exercise of political rights," El-Sherif said. He added his discussions with opposition leaders focussed on the importance of providing new guarantees necessary for ensuring the integrity of elections. "We aim to draft the law in accordance with the new amendment of Article 88 of the constitution in terms of forming an election commission." El-Sherif added that the commission will include 11 judges, four of whom are retired and seven who are current members of the judiciary. El-Sherif indicated that the commission will enjoy complete independence in terms of judicial immunity and budget. The amendments of the law will be discussed by the cabinet today and before the People's Assembly next week. Judges protest NEXT Sunday, hundreds of judges will convene at the headquarters of their club to protest against plans to extend the retirement age of judges to 70. There will be a symbolic sit-in at the Cairo Judges Club tomorrow, after a memorandum was sent to President Hosni Mubarak asking for his interference. The judges are reacting to parliament's approval on principle on Sunday to extend the retirement age of judges, as proposed by a number of MPs belonging to the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP). Judges view the law as rewarding senior judicial figures for their loyalty to the state, while at the same time banning the young generation of reformist judges from occupying top ranking posts. Ten days ago, Mubarak dispatched a delegate to meet officials at the club, who informed them that the president will not extend the retirement age of judges if this was against their will. During next week's general assembly, judges will also voice their complete rejection to the new military tribunals law which was endorsed by the People's Assembly this week, also against the will of judges and all political powers. The law, aimed at establishing a military appeals court, was criticised for putting the judicial system in disarray and stripping the civilian judicial system of its powers in favour of military tribunals. Health notwithstanding THE ADMINISTRATIVE Court decided on Tuesday to give its final ruling on 22 May regarding the release of jailed opposition leader Ayman Nour on medical grounds. Nour's lawyer, Amir Salem, told Al-Ahram Weekly that he is optimistic about the upcoming verdict. The opposition leader, who suffers from diabetes, heart problems and hypertension, is now serving a five-year jail term for forgery. He challenged President Hosni Mubarak for the presidency in 2005, finishing a distant second in the country's first contested presidential elections. Nour's defence team submitted to the court reports prepared by eight private forensic medicine professors, which stressed that incarceration threatens the life of the ailing Nour. It recommended that he be released for medical reasons. Nearly two months ago, a report drafted by the official forensic medicine department admitted that Nour was seriously sick, but this did not necessitate his release since he can receive treatment at prison. Unified azan evaluated A TECHNICAL committee affiliated to the Ministry of Religious Endowments will soon assess the experiment of unifying the call for prayer ( azan ) which was recently introduced in some Cairo mosques. Top ministry officials said a final evaluation will be ready within a few days, and cautioned against a hasty judgement of the experiment. Some preachers complained that while transmitting the azan, the voice of the moaazen was sometimes blurred. Officials said that the technical committee will look into and resolve all technical problems of the experiment. The ministry had first called for unifying the azan in 2004 in order to ensure that appropriate voices would call for prayer and to avoid the din created by loudspeakers. The idea, however, was met with severe criticism from several Muslim scholars who were against lowering the volume of the azan. Compiled by Mona El-Nahhas
