Sudan lets expelled EU envoy stay

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Sudan has said an EU envoy who on Thursday was ordered to leave the country will now be allowed to remain until his term expires in three weeks.

Sweden's Kent Degerfelt and Canadian diplomat Nuala Lawlor were declared persona non grata after they were accused of political interference.

A spokesman for President Omar al-Bashir has said the envoy must be replaced by a new representative.

Last year, Sudan expelled the head of the United Nations mission, Jan Pronk.

Correspondents say the EU and Canada have recently criticised Sudan for its human rights records and for military actions in Darfur.

"Sudan has accepted the apology of Louis Michel, the European development commissioner, to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir over the actions of the European Commission envoy," a foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

Mr Michel told French radio Mr Degerfelt had been expelled for a mistake in protocol, failing to go through the presidency or the foreign ministry before expressing concerns over the human rights situation in the country.