Sudan’s VP demands visiting US legislators to lift economic sanctions
November 9, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s First Vice-President Bakri Hassan Salih has asked a visiting US Congress delegation to lift the economic sanctions imposed on Sudan in order to enable it carry out political and economic reforms.
Salih on Monday briefed the visiting delegation on the political situation in the country besides the Sudanese/US relations since the current regime assumed power in 1989, demanding the US to lift the economic and trade sanctions and remove Sudan’s name from the list of states sponsors of terrorism.
“Despite all obstacles set by Washington, the Sudanese government has kept the doors open for dialogue in order to restore normal ties between the two nations,” he said.
Washington imposed economic and trade sanctions on Sudan in 1997 in response to its alleged connection to terror networks and human rights abuses. In 2007 it strengthened the embargo, citing abuses in Darfur which it labelled as genocide.
Also, Sudan has been on the US list of countries supporting terrorism since 1993, for allegedly providing support and safe haven for terrorist groups.
Salih stressed that Sudan seeks to maintain balanced relations with the international community on the bases of the common interests.
He briefed the Congress delegation on the government efforts to achieve economic and political reforms, expressing hope that the US supports those efforts by lifting the sanctions imposed on Sudan.
For his part, the head of the US Congress delegation Bennie Thompson expressed appreciation for Salih, noting the delegation, which is composed of four members of the US House of Representatives, sought to get acquainted with the situation in the Sudan.
He told the official news agency (SUNA) that the members of the delegation would convey what they have seen on the ground in Sudan to their colleagues in the US Congress, noting the meeting with Salih dealt with Sudan’s history since independence besides the challenges facing the country including the US sanctions.
“We urged Lieut. Gen. Bakri to talk to businessmen,” he added.
It should be mentioned that the US Congress delegation held several meetings with government officials, parliamentarians, businessmen and civil society leaders to assess the political situation and the impact of the US sanctions.
The members of the US Congress delegation refrained from speaking in the press conference held at the conclusion of their visit to Sudan on Monday allowing the sponsors to brief the reporters on the outcome of the visit.
MEETING PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER
Meanwhile, the US Congress delegation on Monday discussed with the speaker of the National Assembly Ibrahim Ahmed Omer the recent political developments and bilateral relations.
Omer told reporters following the meeting that the Sudanese/US relations were the main issue of discussion with the visiting delegation, noting he briefed them on the strategic location of Sudan and the importance of achieving peace, stability and development.
He noted the members of the delegation said they are mainly interested in collecting the required facts and information in order to convey them to the concerned bodies, denying they requested the US Congress to change its stance toward Sudan.
“What we heard from them is considered reasonable but we can’t say that we reached any conclusions because they are very careful not to speak or express any position,” he said.
Omer further hoped that the US deals with Sudan differently, saying Washington doesn’t deal with his country from a strategic position but derives its policies from a predetermined and distorted ideological image.
(ST)