Russia welcomes Sudan’s branding ties ‘strategic’

By Elena Teslova</p> <p>MOSCOW (AA) – Russia on Thursday welcomed the “strategic” relations with Sudan in wake of the ouster of the longtime president of the North African country. </p> <p>Speaking at a news conference in Yalta city on the southern coast of the Crimean Peninsula, Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said Moscow is glad with the “unchanged relations” with Sudan.</p> <p>&quot;We welcome Sudan's authorities statement that despite the change of power in Sudan as a result of mass protests, the nature of bilateral relations between Russia and Sudan — based on long-standing traditions of friendship and mutually benefited cooperation — remains unchanged and is assessed in Khartoum as strategic,&quot; she said.</p> <p>Zakharova said Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov visited Khartoum on Wednesday where he met with Abdel-Fattah Burhan, head of Sudan’s ruling Military Transitional Council (MTC) and his deputy Mohamed Daglo.

Last week, President Omar al-Bashir was ousted by the Sudanese army following months of popular protests against his 30-year rule.

The MTC now plans to run the nation’s affairs for a two-year transitional period during which presidential elections will eventually be held.

– Russia, China, US to meet for Afghan peace

<p>Also speaking about the Afghan conflict, Zakharova announced a Moscow meeting of presidential envoys of Russia, China, and the U.S. for Afghanistan.</p> <p>On April 25, Russia’s Zamir Kabulov, Zalmay Khalilzad of U.S. and China’s Deng Xijun will discuss the launch of national reconciliation process in Afghanistan, the spokeswoman said.</p> <p>&quot;The meeting is part of the efforts of the world's players to create an enabling environment for the Afghan peace process,&quot; Zakharova said.</p> <p>Russia is in favor of combining these efforts with the work of the Moscow format of consultations on Afghanistan which represents interests of the states in the region, she added.</p> <p>The raging Afghan conflict is in its bloody 18th year, with thousands of lives lost and millions forced to flee their homes.