Romania to take part in its oil industry : minister

BUCHAREST, Feb 27 (AFP) — Sudan Energy and Mines Minister Minister Awad Ahmed El-Jazz said Friday he wanted to see Romanian oil firms returning to his country.

Western firms left Sudan in the 1990’s when Islamic fundamentalists came to power.

Sudan is now hoping to end its 20-year-old civil war between Christians in the south of the country and Moslems in the north.

El-Jazz said Sudan would soon sign a cooperation agreement with Romania.

“We invite Romania to return and we have received a very positive response from the government and private firms,” El-Jazz told reporters after a three-day visit to Romania.

The Romanian national oil company Petrol, which built one of Sundan’s four refineries in the 1980’s, “is interested by our projects,” such as building new refineries, the minister said.