Al-Bashir Willing to Resign?

Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir told a local newspaper that he would resign if such a move was desired by the people of Sudan. However, if such a move was desired only by foreigners, he would resist demands for his resignation to the bitter end.

Al Bashir’s statement is rather interesting considering two upcoming events – 1) Sudan’s 2009 elections and 2) the pending yet inevitable issuance of an arrest warrant for the president by the International Criminal Court on allegations of genocide, murder, and crimes against humanity.

What does Al-Bashir’s willingness to step down mean? Regret about past actions? Uncertainty about the future? The topic can and will be debated.