Sudan’s FM to visit United States next week

February 5, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese foreign minister is set to visit Washington next week to discuss ways to improve bilateral relations between the countries.

During a meeting in Addis Ababa last week, U.S. Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer, extended an invitation to the recently appointed Sudanese minister to discuss the amelioration of the ties between the two countries.

Deng Alor said that he will discuss during the visit a number of issues with US officials, including the relations between Khartoum and Washington and ways to normalize them, Darfur issue and the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

Alor said that the Sudanese presidency and the leaderships of the National Congress and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) are welcoming the delegation’s visit to the United States.

Alor who will be accompanied by Mustafa Osman Ismail, a presidential advisor, is expected to meet U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other official in the American Administration.

He said that top priority is given to the enhancement of Sudan foreign relations and normalization its relations with some countries, particularly with western countries and the United States.

The difficult relations between Khartoum and Washington are complicated since 2004 by the issue of Darfur. The United States informed Sudan that normalizations of relations between the two countries depend on the resolution of the five years conflict in Darfur.

Washington wants Sudan to begin direct talks with Darfur rebels in order to reach a political Solution to the conflict besides Khartoum cooperation with the international community in the deployment of 26000 hybrid peacekeepers in Darfur region.

(ST)