Sudan's President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir addresses the nation during celebrations for the 55th anniversary of Sudan's independence at the Palace in Khartoum 31 December 2010. (Reuters)
In a speech marking Sudan's Independence Day, President Omar Al-Bashir called on opposition parties to form a wider base government to expand participation and close ranks in the North.
His words came on the heels of earlier statements by himself and leaders in his party refusing to form a nationalist government.
Bashir has already announced that if the South breaks away, he will establish an Islamic Arab state in the North based on an Islamic Constitution, which would not tolerate plurality. This declaration has drawn wide protest.
"The opposition, except for the Unionist Party whose position is ambiguous, agree that what is needed now is an interim government not a nationalist one," suggested Kamal Omar, the political secretary for the Popular Congress Party (PCP).
"This means that Bashir and his deputies resign, the dissolution of the parliament which was seated by fraudulent elections in April, and all parties sit down to choose a new president, new impartial agencies to run the country.
"This would prevent the country returning to war and manage relations with the South which is heading towards partition."
Omar asserted that "if Bashir and his party remain in power, this is certain to bring the country back to war."
He described Bashir's proposal as obsolete for being out of step with the opposition's demands. Omar noted that a nationalist government is off the table for good.
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