Text of report in Arabic by Sharjah Al-Khalij newspaper website on 31 May
Text of report in Arabic by Sharjah Al-Khalij newspaper website on 31 May
Sudan’s Minister of Finance and National Economy, Al-Zubair Ahmed al-Hassan, said that his government would seek to lay siege to the US sanctions by resorting to the aid of friendly countries so that these sanctions do not become international sanctions.
The minister said it was not possible to play down the effect of the sanctions US President George Bush decided to impose on Sudan. He said the government would move to “besiege the US sanctions and defend Sudan’s rights in accordance with diplomatic means and through bilateral relations with some influential nations, in order to prevent international sanctions”.
The Sudanese Minister said his country was bracing for likely ramifications, a reference to the possibility that the Security Council would impose sanctions under pressure from the United States and Britain.
He said Washington imposed unilateral economic sanctions on Sudan since 1997 and that 30 companies have now been added to the list of banned firms.
He added that the ongoing sanctions ban exports and imports between the two countries, especially heavy machinery and computers that now reach the country through a third party.
He accused the United States of seeking to isolate Northern Sudan, pointing out that the sanctions limit economic dealings to South Sudan but ban them with the North.
The minister said his country was relying on China, Russia, Qatar and the group of countries that support Sudan, especially the African countries. He could not rule out EU support to the US bid to expand the area of sanctions.
He mentioned in this context an EU decision last year to keep European companies away from the Sudan, in addition to refusal to release Sudan’s dues from the Lome and Cotonou Agreements amounting to 450 million euros. “Our battle is not directed at the American sanctions but to lay siege to them so that no international sanctions are imposed on us,” he said.
Source: Sharjah al-Khalij newspaper in Arabic 31 May 07
Zubair Ahmed Al-Hassan