Addis Ababa, Feb 12(ENA)--The bilateral cooperation that exist between Ethiopia and the Sudan has special importance to promote regional relations and integration in the Horn of Africa, the Ethiopian Minister of Federal Affairs said.

The Minister Abay Tsehaye was speaking at the opening here on Tuesday of the Ethio-Sudanese high level meeting held to discuss the implementation of the bilateral cooperation agreements reached between the two countries.

The Minister told the Sudanese delegation led by Sudan’s Interior Minister, Major General Abdulrahim Mohammed Hussein that the Ethio-Sudanese cooperation was crucially important to bring closer the peoples' of the two countries as well as countries in the region.

He said the meeting would also facilitate ways for the realization of agreements reached between the two countries especially in the areas of security, defense and customs.

He said the Ethio-Sudanese cooperation and consultations for mutual benefits would play its role in bringing about peace and stability in the continent.

The Minister called for further consultations and reciprocal visits with a view to strengthening the all-round cooperation being forged between the two neighboring countries.

Ethiopia attaches importance to the wide-ranging cooperation agreements reached between Ethio-Sudanese Ministers' and border development joint commissions.

The Sudanese Interior Minister on his part said the bilateral cooperation that exists between the two countries was gathering momentum.

He said his delegation's discussions on Monday with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi were productive and successful in strengthening cooperation between the two countries.

The two-day deliberations by the two parties would facilitate ways to transform into implementation the agreements so far reached, according to a senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

(ENA)