AU's Mbeki in Khartoum to push Sudan, South talks: AFP

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AFP) - African Union mediator Thabo Mbeki arrived in Khartoum on Thursday night to help push Sudan and South Sudan back to talks, which were suspended after border fighting last month, an AFP reporter said.

Mbeki left the VIP terminal at Khartoum's airport in a black limousine at about 17:25 GMT, the reporter said.

Sudan and South Sudan did not comply with a United Nations Security Council demand that they resume the talks by Wednesday, but Mbeki and other diplomats are nonetheless trying to get negotiations restarted.

The former South African president will meet over two days with Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir and other officials, foreign ministry spokesman Al-Obeid Meruh told AFP.

He is also expected to visit the South Sudanese capital Juba as part of his diplomacy.