Sudan 'willing to hold talks with Chad'

Sudan is willing to hold talks with neighbouring Chad to restore diplomatic relations, a leading member of the Sudanese ruling party said on Saturday.

“We will not close the door on Chad if it wishes to improve ties,” Nafi Ali Nafi, deputy chairman and official spokesman of the ruling National Congress Party, was quoted by the official Sudan News Agency as telling reporters on Saturday.

Chad severed relations with Sudan on Friday and threatened to expel 200,000 Sudanese refugees if the international community did not do more to stop what he claimed were Sudanese-backed rebels from destabilising the government ahead of presidential polls May 3.

Chad’s President Idriss Deby announced he was cutting of relations after rebels attacked the capital N’djamena. Government forces rebuffed the attack.