Sudan government denies 'Saudi fake news' claiming it refused to meet Qatari delegation

Sudan government denies 'Saudi fake news' claiming it refused to meet Qatari delegation

Sudan has denied a fake report published in Saudi media that the country's new military leaders refused to meet with Qatari diplomatic delegation.
2 min read
18 April, 2019
A Saudi-led bloc is locked in a nearly two-year-old diplomatic standoff with Doha [Getty]

Sudan has denied a fake report published in Saudi media that the country's new military leaders refused to meet with a Qatari diplomatic delegation.

A spokesman for the Sudanese Foreign Ministry told the state-run SUNA news agency arrangements were in fact being made for a visit by a high-ranking Qatari delegation to the capital Khartoum.

The denial comes after Saudi mouthpiece Al-Arabiya reported on Wednesday that the military council turned away the Qatari Foreign Minister.

"The Qatari delegation was informed that diplomatic norms require coordination and agreement before a visit," the report said.

The report came after a high-level Saudi-Emirati joint delegation met with members of Sudan's military leaders on in Khartoum on Tuesday sparking concerns regarding attempts by the two regimes to hijack the Sudanese uprising.

The head of the military council met with members of the Gulf delegation, in which he praised “the distinguished ties” between Sudan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

A Saudi-led bloc, which includes the UAE, is locked in a nearly two-year-old diplomatic standoff with Doha.

Riyadh and its allies severed all ties with Qatar on accusations the emirate was too close to Iran and to Sunni extremists including the Muslim Brotherhood. Doha denies the charges.

The military council has taken control of Sudan after it ousted leader Omar al-Bashir, after after four months of street protests against his 30-year rule marred by conflict, civil war and corruption.