KHARTOUM, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chairman of Sudan's Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said his meeting with the Israeli prime minister was in the interests of the country.

"Al-Burhan said his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Sudan's supreme interests and that it was with the knowledge of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok," Sudanese army spokesman Brig. Amer Mohamed al-Hassan said during a press conference in Khartoum on Wednesday.

He further quoted Burhan as saying "there were preparatory talks three months ago with the Israeli prime minister and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo."

Burhan explained that the purpose behind his meeting with Netanyahu was "to lift Sudan from the U.S. list of countries sponsoring terrorism."

Meanwhile, the Sudanese army on Wednesday said in a statement that it backs Burhan's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Burhan reportedly met with Netanyahu in Entebbe, Uganda, on Monday.

For years, Sudan has remained within the forefront of countries opposing normalization with Israel.