New talks on Sudan civil rule Monday

Sudan's army rulers and protesters are to hold fresh talks over handing power to a civilian administration on Monday, spokesmen for the generals and the protest movement said.

On Saturday, the Alliance for Freedom and Change -- an umbrella for the protest movement -- said the generals had invited it for a new round of talks after several days of deadlock.

"The meeting was planned for today but it has now been postponed to Monday," alliance spokesman Rashid al-Sayed said.

Sayed did not explain why the talks were postponed, but sources in the alliance said that more time was needed for consultations within the leadership.

Late on Sunday, the spokesman for the ruling military council, Lieutenant General Shamseddine Kabbashi, confirmed that the new round of talks will be held on Monday.

The talks are being held in an "optimistic atmosphere", Kabbashi said in a statement, adding that the negotiations aimed "to reach an agreement over the arrangements of the transitional period".

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