In this file photo taken on Jan 30, 2022, a Sudanese woman waves her country's national flag as she takes part in a rally to protest against last year's military coup, in the capital Khartoum. (PHOTO /AFP)

KHARTOUM - Chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan on Saturday stressed that the military was open to a national dialogue aimed at achieving democratic transition.

"The army is ready to conduct a dialogue regarding a transitional period if a consensus is reached," said Al-Burhan in an interview aired by Sudan TV.

"The army is ready to conduct a dialogue regarding a transitional period if a consensus is reached," said Chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan in an interview aired by Sudan TV

"Neither I nor the military establishment wants to rule Sudan. The army will leave the political arena in the event that elections are conducted or a national consensus is reached in the country," he said.

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He called for a dialogue that must include all forces, except for the National Congress Party, which is the party of former President Omar al-Bashir.

Meanwhile, Al-Burhan criticized the UN-facilitated consultations led by Volker Perthes, head of the United Nations Integrated Transitional Assistance Mission in Sudan.

"Volker is a mediator to bring all parties to sit for dialogue, but he has no right to propose an initiative. He sits with a specific group and gets influenced by their ideas," he noted.

Al-Burhan further downplayed the possibility of imposing international sanctions on him or the military establishment under the pretext of undermining the democratic transition in Sudan.

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"Talking about sanctions is not feasible or useful," he said.

Sudan has been suffering a political crisis after Al-Burhan, also general commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, declared a state of emergency on Oct 25, 2021 and dissolved the Sovereign Council and the government.