Sudanese official hails ‘unprecedented’ outcome of US visit
June 29, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese presidential adviser Ghazi Salah Al-Deen said that the delegation he led to Washington said that they have achieved “unprecedented” results.
The ex-Southern rebel group Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM)
also took part in the summit which was organized by the US administration but appeared to end up with little tangible results.
Al-Deen said that the visit gave his delegation an opportunity to meet with “decision making institutions in the US congress, civil society organizations, research institutions in addition to the association to deal with the diplomatic corps and media”.
He said that they have been able to demonstrate the uselessness of sanctions saying it does not affect the officials but impacts the ordinary citizens.
The Sudanese presidential adviser said that there are no specific proposals from the US administration to accelerate the peace process in Darfur.
He hailed the role played by the US special envoy to Sudan Scott Gration saying that he is “acting in good faith” seeking to understand the issues on the ground adding that they will accept any “useful” proposals put forward by him.
Al-Deen disclosed that there has been an agreement on continuing the tripartite mechanism between the NCP, SPLM and the US administration in Khartoum and Juba.
He cautioned that if this mediation proves to be unfair to a party they will not deal with it but said that the US administration appears serious in supporting the peace agreement.
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.
Sudanese officials have lately expressed hope that US would ease economic sanctions imposed since 1997 and removing Sudan from the list of states that sponsor terrorism.
(ST)