Sudan summons US envoy on alleged press statement

Mar 1, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese Foreign Ministry summoned the American Charge d’Affaires Cameron Hume and inquired about what had been attributed to him in Alwan newspaper published on Wednesday.

Ambassador Jamal Mohamed Ibrahim, the spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, said in a press statement that the Foreign Ministry informed the charge d’Affairs that despite the fact that the Ministry considers only the official stands, still what was reported by the newspaper drew the Ministry’s attention and that the Ministry considered it necessary to know the real version of the utterances attributed by the daily to the Charge d’Affaires.

The American Chargé d’Affaires, Cameron Hume, assumed charge of the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum on October 18th, 2005.

He added that the American Charge d’Affaires denied what was attributed to him by the newspaper saying the newspaper story contained numerous inaccuracies, expressing at the same time his respect for Islam and for Muslims.

The Embassy of the U.S.A. has in the meantime issued a press release affirming that the US Government and the Charge d’Affaires hold the religion of Islam in high esteem as one of the world’s great religions.

The embassy said the article published by Alwan newspaper contained numerous inaccuracies with regards to the comments made by the United States Charge d’Affaires at a private function.

(ST)