El-Bashir accuses opposition of obstructing Sudanese national concord

Sudanese President Omar El-Bashir accused the Sudanese opposition yesterday of obstructing the achievement of national concord, adding that there is no dialogue with the opposition grouping because it aims at toppling the government in Khartoum.

In press statements, El-Bashir said that the alliance held between the northern opposition and John Garang (leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Army) is temporary, and he said he opposed establishing a Sudanese confedration to solve the problem of southern Sudan.

Concerning Sudan's relations with the Gulf states, El-Bashir said that relations have improved with Kuwait and normalized with Saudi Arabia, while they were cut with Qatar.

He added that Sudan has exchanged diplomatic representation with Bahrain, expressing his hope that this will also be achieved with the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

Concerning relations with the United States, El-Bashir said that there must be an apology and compensation for the harm caused by the August 1998 attack on El-Shifaa factory.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese president unveiled that the Jordanian late monarch king Hussien has attempted to mediate between Washington and Khartoum in this regard.