Sudan: EU urges quick move to civilian transition govt

By Serife Cetin

BRUSSELS (AA) - The EU on Thursday called for Sudan to have a “swift handover” to a civilian transitional government following the removal from the presidency of Omar al-Bashir.

"Only a credible and inclusive political process can meet the aspirations of the Sudanese people and lead to the political and economic reforms the country needs," said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini in a written statement.

"That can only be achieved through a swift handover to a civilian transitional government. In that process, all must exercise calm and utmost restraint," she said.

Mogherini said that for months the Sudanese people have peacefully called for a change.

"As underlined by the Chairperson of African Union Commission in his statement today, a military council does not provide the answers and breaches the principles of the African Union Charter," she added.

The Sudanese military earlier Thursday announced the removal of al-Bashir, who had ruled Sudan since 1989, and the imposition of a two-year "transitional phase" following mass demonstrations calling for the president to step down.

Defense Minister Awad ibn Auf further announced a one-month curfew along with a three-month nationwide state of emergency.

He also announced the suspension of Sudan’s 2005 Constitution and the dissolution of the Sudanese presidency, parliament, and council of ministers.

A military council, he said, would be drawn up to run the country’s affairs during the post-Bashir interim phase.

Sudanese opposition parties and professional associations voiced "total rejection" of what they described as a "military coup".

Al-Bashir came to power on the back of a 1989 military coup against the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi.