Government ministers from Sudan are in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to discuss the contents of a new peace deal to end 19 years of civil war in Sudan. The peace deal brokered by the United States creates the possibility of southern Sudan breaking away from the north in six years time, something the Arab countries oppose.

Two days of Sudanese-Egyptian talks in Cairo are taking place in parallel to similar talks in Amman and Tripoli between Sudanese envoys and Jordanian and Libyan leaders.

EGYPT-LIBYA PEACE PLAN PUSHED ASIDE

Egypt and Libya in particular are upset that their own three-year peace initiative to end the civil war in Sudan appears to have been pushed aside in favour of a US plan.

President Omar al-Bashir and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) leader, John Garang, held more than two hours of talks in Uganda on Saturday.

The US-backed plan goes much further than the Libyan-Egyptian proposals in allowing the possibility for self-determination for the war-torn south of Sudan.

The Arab countries are keen for Sudan to remain united - in Egypt's case partly out of fear that a new country would become another regional competitor for the precious waters of the River Nile.

KHARTOUM WANTS ARAB INVOLVEMENT IN NEXT ROUND OF TALKS

For their part Sudanese officials have stressed that they want the Arab countries to be involved in the next round of peace negotiations in mid-August.

The Khartoum government does not want to lose its southern districts with their rich oil resources either, and hopes Arab pressure and investment will weaken the south's appetite for succession.

PHOTO CAPTION

From left to right: Sudanese President Omar Al-Basheer; Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni and Sudanese rebel leader, John Garang.