20100403
ALALAM

Sudan's opposition parties have given the authorities four days to implement key reforms and said they would then take part in elections pushed back to May, an Umma Party official said.

"Eight conditions must be met between now and April 6 for the Umma Party to take part" in presidential, legislative and regional elections slated for April 11-13, said the party's Sarah Nugdalla after a meeting in the capital's twin city of Omdurman.

She said other opposition groups agreed with these demands. On Thursday Umma and three other opposition parties said they would boycott the country's first multi-party elections in 24 years.

Among other things, Umma is demanding a freeze of "repressive security measures," equitable access to state media, public funds for political parties and a commitment to Darfuri representation in the presidency.

The opposition also wants the elections postponed to the first week in May.

"These demands are shared by the other opposition parties with a few variations," Nugdalla said. "It is not too late to save" the elections.

One such variation emerged later on Friday, with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) saying it was pulling out of the presidential vote only, not the parliamentary and regional polls.

Major opposition groups including Umma on Thursday announced a total boycott of the polls.

On Friday, Umma chief Sadek al-Mahdi met US envoy for Sudan Scott Gration, who is engaged in a round of talks aimed at saving the elections.

The opposition had so far demanded -- in vain -- that the elections be postponed until November, but Beshir and the electoral commission announced this week they would go ahead as planned on April 11.