Sudan moves to improve ties with US; releases embassy containers

April 27, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese government decided to release containers belonging to the US embassy that were being held by custom authorities in Port Sudan for over a year.

The containers contained equipments that were to be used for new embassy complex in south Khartoum that was under construction for over two years.

The Sudanese government has refused to release containers imported by the US embassy without payment of custom fees in retaliation for restrictions on its mission in Washington.

Last January Sabir Mohammed Hassan, governor of Sudan Central said that his government will not to give the US embassy equipments “any special consideration”.

But the US refused to pay any custom duties to Sudan arguing that it is exempt from such fees.

The daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat quoting unidentified Sudanese official said that the US administration agreed to “re-open a bank account for the Sudanese embassy in Washington” in return.

Sudan’s mission in the Washington encountered difficulties during 2004 to open a bank account but the US administration intervened to resolve the matter. It is not clear why the embassy’s bank account was closed subsequently.

The Sudanese official declined to say if the decision was related to negotiations that were held with the US in the Italian capital this month to discuss normalization of ties. The US delegation was led by Bush’s special envoy to Sudan Richard Williamson.

The New York Times (NYT) obtained a series of documents exchanged between the Washington and Khartoum on a series of steps to normalize relations between the two countries.

The documents were leaked by an unidentified US official described as being “critical of the administration’s position”.

The report said that the Bush administration could remove Sudan from an American list of state supporters of terrorism and normalize relations if the Sudanese government agreed to take certain steps regarding the conflict in Darfur.

However Williamson told US lawmakers last week that the report is “not accurate” and that if it was “he would not defend it and would not engage in it”. He further said that it was the Sudanese government which approached Washington on the requirements for normalizing ties.

“Concrete, verifiable, significant progress must be achieved on the ground before we can contemplate improved relations” Williamson said.

The US imposed sanctions on Sudan in 1997 when Clinton’s administration issued an order prohibiting the imports of Sudanese goods or exports of US technology and goods to the East African nation because of the country’s alleged support of international terrorist activities.

The U.S. Embassy in Khartoum was closed in 1998 before reopening in 2002.

(ST)