Mahdi refuses to meet Bashir

The Ummah Party confirmed the absence of bilateral dialogue with the Khartoum government. An official source at the Ummah Party (UP) denied the presence of any meetings with the envoys of the ruling National Islamic Front (NIF) and downplayed the news about meetings between Al Sadiq Al Mahdi the UP leader and senior officials from NIF during the meetings of the ministerial council of Arab League.

The source said that the UP is committed to the resolution of the resolution of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which calls for return of democracy, peace and stability to the region.

Dr. Sadiq Bolad, director of the UP office in Asmra, said the party's stand is clear and committed to the overthrow of the NIF government by all means. He stated that the party has no bilateral dialogue or reconciliation with the NIF, because such meetings will not constitute a basis for solving the Sudanese problem in the atmosphere of the political and military developments.

Bolad denied news published in Khartoum about the possibility of a meeting between El Mahdi and Ali Osman Taha, the NIF foreign affairs minister, in the during the ministerial council of the Arab League. Another Sudanese paper reported the departure of a special envoy carrying messages to El Mahdi.

Bolad said that Mahdi refused to meet El Bashir at Egypt's request. He also said that the UP will not accept any meeting, dialogue or messages, Al Khartoum daily said today.