Egypt president urges Sudanese to talk, denies backing coup

BY SAMY MAGDY
Associated Press

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (AP) — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi is urging rival factions in Sudan to engage in talks to move forward in their transition to democracy after a coup toppled the civilian-led government. The Egyptian leader said Wednesday that Sudanese parties should agree on a roadmap to stabilize the country and hold elections at the end of the transition. He also denied siding with either party in the crisis. Following the Oct. 25 coup, some Sudanese opposition leaders suspected that Egypt had given a greenlight for Sudan’s military leader to oust Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s government. El-Sissi insists his government doesn’t intervene in other country’s internal affairs. Egypt fears that prolonged deadlock would further destabilize its southern neighbor.