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Sudan Tribune

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Sudan-USA : High time to improve ties

Editorial, the Khartoum Monitor

Oct 22, 2005 — Sudan and the USA are back again in the loop to iron out their long-standing strained bilateral and diplomatic relations. The visit to Khartoum by US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Jendayi Frazer, should pave the way for a normalized and fully restored diplomatic relations between the Sudan and the USA.

The mutual endeavour to restore full scale diplomatic relations will not be so easy and many more sessions and shuttle diplomacy are needed to iron out the protracted differences.

On the Sudanese side, the bombing by the USA of El Shifa pharmaceutical company in 1998 remains a top issue to be tackled over the negotiating table.

Sudan believes the US had unjustifiably bombed the factory based on unfounded and unsubstantiated US allegations. Sudanese authorities have expressed openly that the US must account for and compensate all the losses incurred.

Another nightmare the US could redeem Sudan from is the dossier of terrorism. Sudan’s name is still maintained by the US in the list of countries supposedly sponsoring global terrorism. This has put the Sudanese people in a very tense situation, especially when travelling to Western countries.

Sudanese businessmen are equally constrained by restrictions set by US authorities when dealing with world trade. Therefore, if any good results should be expected from the current US-Sudanese talks, a resolution must be reached at removing Sudan from the list as soon as possible.

To the USA, Darfur is a very important dossier that it seeks to discuss with Sudanese authorities, especially in the aftermath of the recent developments in the area in which some AU personnel have been shot dead.

The USA has taken the issue to the extreme by accusing the Sudanese authorities for genocide operations in Darfur. This has further soured the mutual relations between the two countries. Sudan needs to demonstrate the ability and willingness to improve the human rights situation in Darfur and end the current war through peaceful means. The USA needs these assurances, including practical steps towards bringing to trial all those accused of crimes against humanity in Darfur.

On the CPA [Comprehensive Peace Agreement] implementation there is much role expected from the US government. One such huge step is for the USA to encourage its citizens and multinational institutions to invest in the Sudan in general and south Sudan in particular.

Sudan’s oil industry could make huge strides with the US assistance, technology and expertise. In southern Sudan roads infrastructures are in a shamble and US companies can help a lot there.

Since the unity of the Sudan is hooked to success of the CPA in improving life in southern Sudan, then Sudan needs the USA to support to develop the south in the next five years. Something the US investments in the Sudan could help materialize in a record time.

We hope this time the talks will be more realistic and focused in areas of mutual contention and disagreement. We also hope the two sides will end their talks by issuing a joint communique on overcoming the current impasse and redrawing a roadmap for gradual but sustained restoration of full diplomatic and trade ties between the Sudan and the US.

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