Sudan says no secret deal with US
June 28, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government today denied reports that it struck a secret deal with the United States that would eventually lead to the easing of the unilateral sanctions.
In return, the US would reconsider its position on the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued last March for Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir.
Furthermore, Sudan would be removed from the US list of states that sponsor terrorism and lift economic sanctions imposed since 1997.
But the Sudanese foreign ministry spokesperson Ali Al-Sadiq denied the reports saying that international relations prevent interference in affairs of other countries.
He added that no country can impose conditions on another country when conducting its foreign affairs saying that this is not a negotiable issue.
Al-Sadiq said that the “serious dialogue” with Washington may resolve the pending issues that “has nothing to do with compromises”.
The US administration appeared to be softening its stance towards Sudan with suggestions that it could move forward in normalizing relations between the two countries.
Yesterday the Sudanese president welcomed the “reconciliatory” tone by the Obama administration saying previous US presidents were hostile to his country.
The issue of arms smuggling to Hamas controlled Gaza strip may have recently emerged as an outstanding issue between Sudan and the US.
Last March the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak personally warned his Sudanese counterpart on the growing trend of arm smuggling from his country.
The WSJ said that Mubarak was also echoing US complaints on the same issue who sent a formal letter demanding Sudan’s government “cease smuggling arms into Egypt”.
Israeli plane have reportedly struck suspected arm smugglers headed towards Gaza strip earlier this year in Eastern Sudan killing dozens of people.
On the issue of the ICC former US administration vowed to use the veto power to block any attempt to stall the arrest warrant through a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution as requested by some of Sudan’s allies.
However, Obama’s administration on the position appears ambiguous. It was reported that that the US reaffirmed the same stance in a UNSC closed session with the ICC prosecutor this month.
(ST)