Sudanese opposition says "yes, but.." to talks with Islamist regime

The leading Sudanese opposition politician, Sadeq al-Mahdi, says he is ready for talks with the Islamist government in Khartoum under certain conditions.

Mr al-Mahdi told the French news agency in Cairo that he accepted an offer put forward by a reconciliation group earlier this week.

The group, The Popular Organization for National Dialogue, had said that the country's speaker of parliament and Islamic leader, Hasan al-Turabi, was willing to meet exiled leaders of the opposition.

However, Mr al-Mahdi was quoted as saying he wanted the government to adopt a less repressive policy before a meeting could take place.

Mr al-Mahdi was ousted in a coup which brought General Omar El-Bashir to power in 1989.

He went into exile two years ago.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service