Al-Burhan: I will not run for the presidency of Sudan even if I was asked to do so!

The head of the Transitional Sovereign Council in Sudan, Lieutenant-General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, said: “I will not run for the presidency, even if I am asked to do so. My mission ends with the end of the transitional period.”

Al-Burhan explained in an interview with Al-Arabiya channel reported on its website yesterday that the most important thing he is currently working on is the formation of a supreme electoral commission, adding: “We do not want to replace any of the political forces, but rather we want to make room for everyone.”

"Lifting the state of emergency in Sudan is linked to a meeting with the government and coordination with the Security and Defense Council," he said.

Al-Burhan considered that the recent political agreement with Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok "was a real beginning of the transitional period in the country... Many of the tasks of the transitional period were not accomplished by political forces."

He believed that "some want to make the military component a hanger for the failure of many," stressing that "the coup situation does not apply to our procedures...but it is a process of correction."

Al-Burhan stressed that the army had made it clear "from the beginning" that it would proceed with reform, adding: "We want a partnership with the political forces to prepare for the transitional phase."

Al-Burhan explained that choosing the head of the judiciary and the attorney general is within the competence of the Sovereignty Council, continuing, "Hamdouk has absolute freedom to choose his assistants." But he returned and said: "We want Hamdok to use independent competencies."

Concerning the demonstrations and the number of deaths during them, Al-Burhan said: "Peaceful demonstration is a guaranteed right for everyone... the occurrence of victims in the demonstrations is unacceptable, and we will hold those involved accountable."

He continued, "We are working with the judiciary to find out who is behind the killing of protesters... and the days will reveal who is behind the killings of protesters."

He also revealed that "the recent changes in the army and security are related to what happened in the demonstrations," adding: "We will not accuse any party yet of killing the demonstrators... and we will wait for investigations."

In a related context, Al-Burhan said that "the deep state is everywhere and works to impede progress." He added that "the regime of (ousted Sudanese President Omar) al-Bashir is part of the deep state... and there are current political forces that play the same role... there are political forces that impede the democratic transition process."

Al-Burhan said that "the entire Sudanese people support our decisions, and some elites reject them."

He stressed that he does not accuse anyone of implementing a foreign agenda, "but we see that with the naked eye of some forces...the agenda of some political forces with abroad aims to obstruct the transition process" in Sudan.

Regarding Sudan's relationship with Israel, Al-Burhan considered that the settlement of this file "was necessary to return Sudan to the international community," adding: "Sudan's relationship with Israel may eventually take a natural form."

As for the conflict with Ethiopia, he said: "We seek to obtain our rights on the border with Ethiopia... We will obtain our lands from Ethiopia by negotiation, not by a military solution."

Al-Burhan also stressed that "Sudan does not support the Tigray Liberation Front in Ethiopia."

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