Ukraine in Arabic | Russia seeks military allies in Africa
KYIV/Ukraine in Arabic/ Russia and Sudan have concrete plans to step up military technical cooperation that will not upset the balance of power in the region and will be in full compliance with the countries’ international obligations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday after meeting with his Sudanese counterpart Ahmed Karti.
The Russian minister said he hoped results of the next meeting of the Russian-Sudanese intergovernmental commission that will be held in Moscow next week would be as effective as in the past year.
After the previous meeting last year, the trade turnover between the two countries increased fourfold. “We hope results of the next meeting will be as effective as these,” Lavrov said.
The hoped-for agreement, Lavrov said, would not affect the "balance of power in the region."
Karti, for his part, said that a number of Russian energy companies sought licenses to operate in Sudan.
He added that license applications would be reviewed at a joint ministerial committee meeting to be held in Moscow next week.
Lavrov arrived in Khartoum early Wednesday in order to take part in the Second Arab-Russian Cooperation Forum, which will feature top diplomats from Russia and the Arab world.
Following the forum, which will take place at midday Wednesday, Lavrov is scheduled to meet with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.
