Sudan denies interference in Egyptian politics
August 3, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese top diplomat in Cairo denied reports that the Egypt-based Muslim Brotherhood (MB) group has a television channel broadcasting from Khartoum as was reported by some media outlets.
Ali underscored that Sudan is not party to events currently happening in Egypt and that Khartoum does not favor one side over the other.
He accused some media houses of fabricating news to create tensions in Egypt-Sudan relations and noted the alleged letter from Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir to deposed Egyptian leader Muhammad Morsi in which he expressed Khartoum’s support of him after his removal.
The Sudanese diplomat said that relationship between the two countries should not be linked to regimes or political parties but must be based on solid popular foundation in the interest of the two peoples.
“Regimes change but people remain,” he said.
Ali also stressed that Khartoum has nothing to do with the smuggling of arms to Egypt across the border and disclosed that the Sudanese security services recently seized cache of weapons sneaked into Egypt but offered no further details.
He went on to say that Khartoum formally asked Cairo to establish joint patrols to fight illegal activities on the borders relating to human trafficking and arms trade.
The ambassador did not say what Egypt’s response to this proposal was.
The dramatic ouster of Morsi last month was greeted with delight by millions of jubilant people on the streets of Cairo and other cities across Egypt.
Sudan’s Islamist government has appeared uncomfortable with the developments in Egypt given the common ideology they shared with Morsi and the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) which brought him to power.
However, Khartoum insisted that it is neutral to the change in Egypt and that it an internal matter.
Unlike most Arab leaders, the Sudanese president has not congratulated interim Egyptian president Adli Mansour on his new role.
(ST)