Sudanese government ready to discuss separation of religion and state

Sudanese Vice President Ali Ossman Mohammed Taha stated yesterday the government's readiness to discuss separating between religion and the state with the rebels of southern Sudan.

During his meeting with students at Khartoum University he said, "We can make a discussion with the rebels to reach a solution concerning the issue of separating between the state and religion."

The Sudanese vice president urged the opposition to this discussion in a more objective manner and he welcomed other opinions as well as what he referred to as subjective criticism.

These statements are the first of its their kind for such a high-ranking Sudanese official concerning the separation between the state and religion.