Sudanese opposition rejects government's initiative

The Cairo-based northern Sudanese opposition has announced its rejection of an initiative proclaimed by the Sudanese government in assigning its new ambassador to Egypt to acquaint the opposition with the new constitution bill.

A leading member of the Democratic Unity Party, Farouk Ahmad Adam, said: "This initiative is not accepted because it lacks seriousness. If the Sudanese regime is serious it has to appoint a special envoy to carry out such a mission which pertains to principal issues of concern in Sudan, instead of assigning an ambassador to this task, whose mission is confined to render diplomatic services to citizens of his country in Egypt."

Earlier on Sunday Sudan's new ambassador to Egypt, Ahmad Abdul Halim, said that Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir has delegated him to contact Sudanese opposition leaders in Cairo and consult them on the new constitution bill before it will submitted to the Sudanese national council for ratification and for a public referendum.