In a letter to President Omar al-Bashier of Sudan, the Norwegian Prime Minister today offered his condolences on the death of First Vice President Dr John Garang de Mabior. The letter read as follows:

”I was deeply shocked and saddened to hear that your First Vice President, Dr John Garang de Mabior, died in a plane accident last Saturday, together with members of his staff. I would like to convey my sympathy and condolences to you and the Sudanese people at this tragic time.

I had the pleasure of meeting Dr Garang in Nairobi last October, and at the Donors’ Conference in Oslo in April, and he made a strong and positive impression on me.

I am confident that you and your government will continue on the path of peace which Dr Garang was pursuing with such determination. I assure you that Norway will continue to support peace, reconciliation and development in Sudan, as we have done in the past. My thoughts and prayers are with Dr Garang’s family and all the others who have been affected by this tragic accident.

Yours sincerely,

Kjell Magne Bondevik”