Saudi Arabia reiterates calls for Sudan removal from terror list
January 22, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – Saudi Arabia has renewed its support for Sudan’s removal from the US. list of State Sponsors of Terrorism (SST), as the economic crisis deepened in the impoverished country.
U.S. Special envoy to Sudan was Wednesday in Riyadh on Wednesday where he discussed ways to support Sudan with Saudi Minister of State for African Affairs Ahmad bin Abdulaziz Qattan.
Following the meeting, the official Saudi TV reported that Qattan asked Booth to remove Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Qattan further affirmed “Saudi Arabia’s support of Sudan’s stability and security in order to achieve the Sudanese people’s aspirations,” reported the official Saudi Press Agency.
Booth did not make any statement after his meeting with the Saudi official.
Recently U.S. Under Secretary for Political Affairs David Hale said that Sudan’s removal from the SST depends on the payment of financial compensations to family members of people killed or injured in terrorist attacks carried out by al Qaeda group in the nineties.
“The Under Secretary underscored that compensation for the victims of terrorism remains a priority for the U.S. government,” said the State Department.
On Monday 13 January, the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed a previous court rule ordering Sudan to pay $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 month, the Supreme Court is expected to hear another appeal by Sudan to avoid about $ 4.3 billion in punitive damages awarded to the plaintiffs.
Also, the Qatari defence ministry stated that Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Khalid Al Attiyah met with Booth on Wednesday without further details.
“The meeting discussed issues of common interest,” said the statement.
Qatar and Saudi Arabia are both members of the Friends of Sudan group that Washington established in May 2019 after the collapse of the al-Bashir’s regime.
A donor meeting will be held during the upcoming months in Kuwait as Washington seeks to mobilise the Gulf countries to provide financial support to Sudan.
(ST)