Sudanese President to sign constitution in June

Sudanese dailies on Tuesday quoted the chairman of the electoral committee, Abdul Menem al-Nahas, as saying that Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir will ratify the African state's new constitution on June 30, exactly nine years following his assumption of power in a military coup.

The Sudanese national council approved the constitution document on March 28, and it will be submitted today to al-Nahas who will organize a referendum concerning it. In a statement to the press al-Nahas said the referendum will be held by the end of April or the beginning of May so as to enable al-Bashir to sign the new constitution by the end of June.

Some 10 million electors will choose between two cards, green and red to accept the new constitution, which does not openly permit political pluralism, or to refuse it.