Sudan: Opposition leader calls to join ICC

Former Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi on Saturday called for Sudan to join the International Criminal Court (ICC) which indicted former president Omar al-Bashir earlier this month.

Shortly after addressing a meeting between the protesters and the military to discuss the implementation of civilian rule, Al Jazeera quoted Mahdi as saying the army's removal of Bashir was "not a military coup".

Mahdi is the leader of Opposition, headed by the National Umma Party that has backed the month-long anti-government protests in Sudan.

Rashid al-Sayed, a spokesman for the protest movement, was quoted as saying that the meeting was a confidence-building step between both sides, which are "partners in the revolution" and a second round was due later on Saturday.

He added that the military council had vowed that a protest camp outside army headquarters "will not be dispersed by force".

"Today, we have taken positive steps and we expect to reach an agreement satisfactory to all parties," said Ayman Nimir, a negotiator for Sudan's opposition alliance, the Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces.

"We expect to receive a response from the military council regarding the formation of a sovereign council within hours," Nimir noted.

Meanwhile, Shams al-Deen al-Kabashi, the spokesman for the military council, said the talks were "transparent".

"We are very optimistic that we will reach a final conclusion that will be announced to the Sudanese people as soon as possible," he briefed during a press conference.

Omar Bashir was removed in a military coup on April 11. He was arrested and later moved to the maximum security Kober prison here, which has been notorious for holding political prisoners during Bashir's 30-year-long reign.

Following the ousting of the president, the army took power into its own hands through a 10-member transitional military council.

The protesters, who have kept up the pressure around-the-clock outside army headquarters for weeks, are now demanding the council step down and make way for a civilian government.

The protesters, who have kept up the pressure around-the-clock outside army headquarters for weeks, are now demanding the council step down and make way for a civilian government.

The Hague-based justice organisation wanted al-Bashir for his prominent role in inflicting genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for his alleged role in the conflict in Darfur in 2003.