KHARTOUM, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Sudan's foreign ministry on Thursday summoned the Egyptian ambassador in the wake of Egypt's announcement of a tender for oil and gas exploration at the disputed Halayeb Triangle.
"The ministry of foreign affairs on Thursday summoned Ambassador Hossam Issa after Egypt's petroleum ministry announced an international tender for exploration of oil and gas in Red Sea areas that are under Sudanese sovereignty," said a ministry statement.
During the meeting, Badr-Eddin Abdallah, Sudan's foreign ministry undersecretary, conveyed to the Egyptian ambassador Sudan's protest over the announcement.
Abdallah called for "stopping any measures violating the legal status of Halayeb Triangle and not consistent with the large strides made by the two brotherly countries to find a strategic partnership between them," read the statement.
The Sudanese ministry also asked the governments of the countries concerned to take the necessary measures to prevent their companies from taking any illegal steps.
Sudan and Egypt has a long-standing territorial dispute over Halayeb, which is currently under Egyptian control.
