U.S. urges Sudan to pay compensations before to remove it from terror list
January 14, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – United States Tuesday has urged Sudan to pay financial compensations to family members of people killed or injured in terrorist attacks before to remove the impoverished country from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism (SST).
Following the meeting, US State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said that the meeting reviewed “the need for Sudan to meet all relevant policy and statutory criteria for rescission” of Sudan’s SST designation.
“The Under Secretary underscored that compensation for the victims of terrorism remains a priority for the U.S. government,” Ortagus stressed.
After his return from Washington on 8 December 2019, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok said that compensation for victims of terror attacks was the only outstanding issue in the ongoing negotiations with Washington on removing Sudan from the terror list.
“The last pending issue is the agreement on compensation for the victims of terrorist attacks,” he said before to point that ultimately the issue remains a state responsibility.
He added the negotiations focus on two issues first the amount of the compensation which should be reasonable for the impoverished country, the second is to protect Sudan from future lawsuits.
On Monday 13 January, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Sudan’s appeal to avoid paying $3.8 billion in damages to family members of people killed or injured in al Qaeda’s bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.
Next February, the Supreme Court is expected to hear another appeal by Sudan to avoid about $ 4.3 billion in punitive damages awarded to the plaintiffs.
Ortagus further said Hale underscored “unwavering U.S. support” for the democratic transition in Sudan, highlighted the importance of establishing the Transitional Legislative Council and discussed progress in peace talks between Sudan and armed groups.
(ST)