Bashir: Sudan wants legal rights, not grants

Sudan is demanding its legal rights to collect fees for transiting the south's oil through its infrastructures.

Sudanese President Omar al- Bashir on Sunday said that his country was not awaiting a financial grant from the South.

"We will not relinquish those rights and the south has only two options: either to pay us our financial rights or search for another means to export its oil through any country that it selects. It is up to it," said al-Bashir while addressing a rally in eastern Sudan.

He said his country would not be affected by South Sudan's decision to stop its oil pumping and exportation through Sudan's pipeline.

"The (Sudanese) government has not been toppled until now and it will not be toppled. Our economy is strong until now.

"We have adopted the appropriate measures and we will not be affected by the decision of South Sudan government," he said.

Sudan and South Sudan are negotiating in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa under the African Union's patronage to reach a deal in their dispute over the oil issue.  

South Sudan decided on January 20 to stop exporting crude oil through Sudan's pipeline, after Khartoum started to tap into the oil for what it said was the due transit fees.

With South Sudan's independence in 2011, Sudan lost two thirds of its oil resources, and the two sides have not yet resolved their differences over the sharing of the oil resources.