Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has warned of a war between Khartoum and South Sudan because their failure to settle a dispute over an oil export deal.
Al-Bashir told Blue Nile TV on Friday that war "is a possibility" because of escalating tensions with Juba over the spat.
But he said his government will "not be the initiators of such a war."
Landlocked South Sudan shut down oil production late last month after it accused Sudan of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of oil.
South Sudan broke away from its northern neighbor Sudan on July 9 last year.
AP