Beshir pledges 'free' elections

Khartoum - President Omar al-Beshir, who faces a possible arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Darfur, said on Thursday he wanted to hold "free" elections soon to guarantee stability in Sudan.

"I am looking forward to holding free elections in the near future and I ask all parties to prepare themselves for the next elections," Beshir told opposition party leaders.

"There is no security and economic stability without political stability," said Beshir, who was speaking at the congress of the key opposition Umma Party, also attended by diplomats.

Bashir, who came to power in a 1989 military coup, won a presidential election in 2000 with nearly 90% of all votes cast, in a ballot slammed as a sham by the opposition.

ICC to decide on arrest

He said on Thursday that no-one could prevent him from holding elections, a veiled reference to the International Criminal Court which is set to rule on March 4 on whether to issue a warrant for his arrest.

ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo asked the court in July for an arrest warrant for Beshir on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Darfur.

If the warrant is granted and an arrest carried out, Beshir would become the first sitting head of state to be hauled before the ICC.

"Some are trying to undermine this democratization process but any attempt, from any party, will be ignored," Beshir said.