KHARTOUM, Jan. 26 (Saba) -- Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir said 99 percent of southern Sudanese have voted for separation in the referendum, Xinhua News has reported.

"I announce to you the result of the referendum before it is announced by the commission. It will be 99 percent for separation, " al-Bashir said in an address to a rally in Al-Damar in north Sudan.

"South Sudan separation will not be the end of history, but rather a new beginning for building Sudan," he said in the address broadcasted by local Ashrouq TV.

South Sudan Referendum Commission (SSRC) said in Khartoum the primary results of the referendum would be announced on February 2 and the final results were expected to come out on February 7 if there were no appeals, otherwise it would be postponed to February 14.

The Sudanese president also said he was not afraid of any uprising against him, adding he would step down if the people did not want him as the president.

"We will not leave the country if a revolution broke out. We will stay here," he said. "When we learn that the people do not want us, we will leave the power before anybody asks us to do so."

Sudanese political parties recently demanded formation of a national government to run the country if the referendum resulted in the separation of south Sudan.

However, the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) proposed a broad-based government that includes representatives of the opposition parties. The NCP has embarked on consultations with some opposition parties and expects the broad-based government to be established as soon as the result of referendum is announced.
Saba