Sudanese president meets with NUP leader al-Mahdi

February 12, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese President Omer Hassan al-Bashir with the leader of the National Umma Party (NUP) al-Sadiq al-Mahdi on Wednesday evening to determine a mechanism and timetable for the dialogue proposed by Bashir in his speech to the nation last month.

Bashir, announced in a televised address a 4-point plan for reform “to stop the war and bring peace, free political society, fight against poverty and revitalize national identity”, calling for political forces to engage in dialogue to agree on the implementation items though he did not specify practical steps to do so.

So far only the Popular Congress Party (PCP) led by Hassan al-Turabi has formally agreed to Bashir’s dialogue call.

Mustafa Osman Ismail, a leading official in the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), said that the NUP agreed to Bashir’s dialogue call adding that the two sides agreed on mechanism and a timetable in addition to the continuation of their bilateral meetings.

The two hours meeting was attended from the NCP side by former 1st VP Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, former presidential assistant Nafie Ali Nafie and his successor Ibrahim Ghandour, former higher education minister Ibrahim Ahmed Omar and Rajaa Hassan Khalifa.

From the NUP side it was attended by its deputy chairmen Burma Nasser and Sideeg Ismail along with Politburo chief Sarah Nugdalla.

(ST)