Military, protest leaders sign deal

CAIRO — Sudan’s prodemocracy movement and the ruling military council signed a document early Wednesday that outlines a powersharing deal, but the two sides are still at work on a more contentious constitutional agreement that would specify the division of powers.

The signing ceremony held in the capital, Khartoum, after marathon overnight talks, marks an important step in the transition to civilian rule following the military overthrow of longruling autocrat Omar elBashir amid mass protests in April.

But the military appears to have the upper hand, following weeks of negotiations and a deadly crackdown last month in which security forces violently dispersed the protesters’ main sitin.

The document signed Wednesday would establish a joint civilianmilitary sovereign council that would rule Sudan for a little over three years while elections are organized. A military leader will head the 11member council for the first 21 months, followed by a civilian leader for the next 18.

It marks a significant concession by the protesters, who had demanded an immediate transition to civilian rule. The prodemocracy movement would appoint a Cabinet, and the two sides would agree on a legislative body within three months of the start of the transition.

But negotiators have yet to agree on a division of powers between the sovereign council, the Cabinet and the legislative body, which would be enshrined in the constitutional document. That document would also set the terms of military leaders’ potential immunity from prosecution.