Sudan says hopeful for balanced relations with US
January 21, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese official said today that his country is hopeful to have balanced relations but he blamed Washington for not showing enthusiasm to resolve outstanding issues.
Ali Karti, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, on Monday reaffirmed Sudan’s desire to have balanced relationship with the United States based on mutual respect. However he added that Washington hinders efforts to reach common understandings on resolving the outstanding problems between the two countries
According to the official SUNA, Karti made this statement following a meeting with UN academic delegation. It didn’t provide further details about the goal of the visit or their academic institutions.
Former Sudanese foreign minister and presidential adviser, Mustafa Osman Ismail said yesterday that his government will not normalize relations with Washington “for free”.
“Every concession in our end should be met with a similar concession from the US side” Ismail told reporters after his meeting with the US chargé d’affaires in Khartoum Alberto Fernandez.
Nonetheles the US officials have repeatedly told Sudan that any improvement in bilateral relations, or easing of US sanctions on Sudan, depends on the Khartoum government’s follow-through with peacekeeping commitments for Darfur.
Karti said he briefed the visiting delegation about the developments in the peace process in the Sudan, especially the government’s efforts to achieve a comprehensive settlement in Darfur, besides the humanitarian situation in Darfur.
He commended the role played by civil society organizations and popular delegations in strengthening relations between peoples.
Further, he pointed out that the delegation got acquainted during its visit to Darfur with real information on the situation in the region and expressed surprise at what caused the western media on Sudan.
The minister pointed out that he sensed a genuine will of the delegation to know the facts of what happens in the Sudan away from the effects of “the western media prejudiced against Sudan,” the official news agency reported.
(ST)