A Sudanese opposition official says the opposition has rejected secret reconciliation talks with the government in Khartoum. A group of Sudanese parliamentarians has been trying to arrange a meeting between the country's military-backed Islamist rulers and its political opponents living in exile. The move coincides with Khartoum's efforts to improve strained ties with Egypt while it prepares for expected dry season battles with rebels in southern Sudan. Barbara Plett reports from Cairo:

A senior opposition official, Mubarak al-Mahdi, says the government is not serious about reconciliation. He told the BBC that the Sudanese envoys brought messages of peace, but refused to offer concrete proposals in writing.

He said they met separately with different opposition parties in what appeared to be an effort to sow seeds of division.

Mr al-Mahdi heads an alliance of northern politicians and southern rebels opposed to the Islamist authorities in Khartoum.

The alliance objects to the government's decision to abolish political parties and accuses it of purging government institutions of opponents and repressing any opposition.

Mr al-Mahdi said he had called on members of the opposition to stop receiving secret reconciliation messages and insist on nothing less than a public dialogue based on certain conditions.

These include Khartoum's acceptance of political pluralism and the establishment of new government institutions without allegiances to the ruling regime. The reconciliation effort had appeared to mark a softening of Khartoum's hardline position.

Top government officials have said they are willing to negotiate with their opponents as long as they lay down their arms.