CAIRO, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Sudanese first vice president Salva Kiir discussed on Monday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak the latest developments in Sudan, particularly the conflict between south and north of Sudan, Nile TV reported.

    "There is hope that Sudan may stay united if the other party is serious," said Kiir.

    However, Salva Kiir, who is the president of the government of Southern Sudan, criticized the northern government for not making "unity an attractive option" for the southerners.

    "Southern Sudan may split from the north of the country in an upcoming referendum because unity has become unattractive," he added.

    Kiir arrived in Cairo Sunday for a three-day visit. He has earlier met Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, who reiterated support for an pivotal agreement struck by Sudan's south and north four years ago.

    The north and south of Sudan signed in January 2005 the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), ending about two decades of war between the two parts of the Africa's biggest nation.

    As stipulated in the CPA, Sudan is to hold general elections in April 2010 before the referendum on the self determination of southern Sudan, scheduled for April 2011.

    Egypt has recently sponsored various meetings involving related parties to tackle Sudanese issues in an effort to bring the separatist threat in Sudan, especially the Darfur crisis, into an end.