Tunisia, Sudan near restoration of diplomatic ties

Tunisia and Sudan have decided to restore diplomatic relations, severed for the past eight years, the pan-African news agency PANA reported, quoting the Tunisian foreign ministry.

"In view of the attachment of the two countries to reconciliation," it said, Tunis and Khartoum have agreed to resume relations "within the framework of transparency and clarity and on the basis of mutual respect."

It added that the relations would observe "non interference in the internal affairs and the adherence to the spirit of the charters of the UN and the League of Arab States."

Tunisia broke diplomatic ties with Sudan in 1992, accusing Khartoum of supporting the fundamentalist movement, Ennahdha.

It charged that Khartoum was serving as a base to activists from the banned movement and providing them training camps.

The leader of Ennahdha, Rachid Ghannouchi, who frequented Khartoum, had close relations with former Sudan's parliament speaker, Hassan Tourabi.