CAIRO, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The leader of the Sudanese National Democratic Alliance urged here on Friday all Sudanese political factions and groups to sit down for the national reconciliation, Egypt's official MENA news agency reported.

    Mohamed Othman al-Merghani made his appeal at a meeting with the Sudanese community and members of his party living in Egypt, greeting them on the occasion of the Islamic holiday of Eidul-Adha.

    Speaking of his initiative to reach national reconciliation among all the Sudanese factions and political organizations, Merghani said problems in Sudan will not be solved except by efforts of all its sons.

    He further stressed the need to hold a national conference within the framework of his initiative.

    In the volatile country of Sudan, the chance of realizing a comprehensive peace in the conflict-torn western Sudanese region of Darfur is still slim in spite of government efforts on talks with rebel groups.

    As the peace process in Darfur dragging on, another crisis between Khartoum and southern Sudan remains unsolved.

    The former southern rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement announced on Oct. 11 a decision to suspend the participation of its ministers in the central government to protest over what it called a "procrastination" of the implementation of the peace deal.

    This is the most serious crisis for the Sudanese national unity government since its establishment in September 2005 in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.