KHARTOUM, Sudan, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Salva Keer was sworn in Thursday as Sudan's vice president, succeeding rebel leader John Garang who died in a plane crash last month.
The small ceremony was carried out before the presidential palace in the presence of President Omar al-Bashir, senior government officials and leading members of Garang's Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement which fought for independence from Khartoum for more than 20 years.
Keer, who also succeeded Garang at the head of the SPLA/M, vowed full commitment to the peace agreement signed by Garang last January and promised to encourage southerners to opt for Sudan's unity at the referendum on the fate of southern Sudan at the end of a six-year transitional period.
Keer stressed the need to find peaceful settlements to other conflicts plaguing Sudan, especially in Darfur, in order to achieve peace.
