DATE=10/21/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-308902

TITLE=POWELL / SUDAN ONITER (S)

BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST

DATELINE=NAIROBI

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: U-S Secretary of State Colin Powell today (Wednesday) joins Kenyan-hosted peace talks on Sudan, hoping to give a boost to efforts to end the African country's 20-year-old civil war. He'll meet outside Nairobi with the top negotiators from the Khartoum government and southern rebels. V-O-A's David Gollust reports from the Kenyan capital.

TEXT: Mr. Powell will not preside at the signing ceremony, but a final agreement on a power-sharing arrangement between the former warring parties is reported within reach. In comments after a meeting here with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, Mr. Powell said there is a window of opportunity to end Africa's longest running civil conflict a moment that must not be lost:

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Sudan has suffered too long. Too many people have died. It is now an opportunity for them to resolve this conflict, in the spirit of moving forward and bringing a more hopeful life to all the people of Sudan.

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Mr. Powell told reporters traveling with him that a comprehensive peace accord, along with more counter-terrorism cooperation by the Khartoum government, would open a "new day" in U-S relations with Sudan leading to an upgrading of diplomatic ties and the possible removal of that country from the U-S list of state sponsors of terrorism. (Signed)

NEB/DAG/RH/KL