Turkey urges Sudan to manage transition 'peacefully'

By Can Erozden</p> <p>ANKARA (AA) – Turkey has called on Sudan to manage the transition process &quot;peacefully&quot; after the removal of Omar al-Bashir from the presidency.</p> <p>&quot;We hope that this transition process will be conducted peacefully, with a view to meeting the expectations of the Sudanese people and within the framework of constitutional democracy and national consensus,&quot; the Foreign Ministry said in a press release on Thursday.</p> <p>&quot;The basic desire of the people of Sudan is the establishment of peace and stability in the country and the adoption of measures which would enable overcoming the economic difficulties,&quot; it said, adding that Sudan's security and stability are crucial for the stability of the region.</p> <p>The ministry added that Turkey will continue to stand by the Sudanese people to ensure the country's stability, welfare, and security.</p> <p>Earlier Thursday the Sudanese military announced the removal of President Omar al-Bashir, who had ruled Sudan since 1989, and the imposition of a two-year &quot;transitional phase&quot;.</p> <p>Defense Minister Awad ibn Auf also announced in a televised statement the imposition of a one-month curfew along with a three-month nationwide state of emergency.</p> <p>He also announced the suspension of Sudan’s 2005 Constitution and the dissolution of the Sudanese presidency, parliament, and council of ministers.</p> <p>A military council, he said, would be drawn up to run the country’s affairs during the post-Bashir interim phase.</p> <p>Sudanese opposition parties and professional associations voiced their &quot;total rejection&quot; of what they called a &quot;military coup.&quot;</p> <p>Al-Bashir came to power on the back of a 1989 military coup against the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi.