Sudan VP Taha calls on the U.S. to stop weakening Bashir

September 16, 2010 (WASHINGTON) – The United States must stop seeking to isolate Sudan and weaken president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir, his Vice president Ali Osman Taha said in a statement released by the Sudanese embassy in Washington.

Taha, who is due to take part in the U.N. summit on Sudan that will take place next Friday, stressed that credit for signing the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the North and South goes to Bashir.

“Barely 20 months in office, the government of President Omar Hassan El-Bashir became the first Sudanese political power to recognize officially the right of Southern Sudan for self determination through Frankfurt agreement. That move, concluded ten years before the Machakos Protocols, which paved the way for the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) three years later, that brought Africa’s longest running civil war to end” Taha said in his statement.

“The credit goes squarely to one man, Omar El-Bashir, being a military man himself was able to convince his lieutenants by the CPA security arrangements and more important deliver on them in a way no civilian leader could have done,” he added.

Taha was the lead negotiator on behalf of the National Congress Party (NCP) with the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) during lengthy negotiations in Kenya.

Following the signature of the CPA, Taha was reportedly marginalized after hardliners close to Bashir convinced him that his VP gave too many concessions to the Southerners after details emerged on the details of the accord.

Sudan is less than four months away from a self-determination referendum in which Southerners will decide on whether they want to remain united with the rest of the country or establish their own state.

“The main concern of the Government of National Unity and the North in general is stability and how to prevent the return of violence regardless of the referendum outcome. And that is why efforts were focused on developing the ten tamazuj, or intermingling states between the North and South that is manned by one third of Sudan’s population and have huge natural and mineral resources. By improving services and creating opportunities and mutual interest, the chances of violence returning will be diminishing,” he said.

Taha called on the U.S. to assist in resolving post-referendum issues still outstanding particularly the border demarcation.

“Most important [for the U.S.] is to work towards closing the door before the return of violence by addressing post-referendum issues like the 2,100 km-long border demarcation before voting takes place. If left unaddressed it could be an inflaming point,” he said.

The Sudanese official also urged Washington to ease pressure on Sudan for the sake of stability.

“The United States is asking Sudan government to settle Darfur problem, ensure conducting the referendum on time and recognizing its outcome, which has multiple political, economic and social repercussions if the South is to secede. Equally it has to ask itself how that could be done while it is adopting policies aimed at weakening the country and its president, who effectively controls the decision of war and peace,” Taha said.

“At stake is not only Sudan, but the regional ripple effect if the country is to disintegrate as a result of the incessant campaign to demonize it and weaken it through sanctions and isolation. It is high time for a fresh start of US-Sudanese relations” he added.

This week, the U.S. offered South Sudan and the northern government in Khartoum a new package of incentives to reach a deal, balanced by the threat of new punitive measures including sanctions if progress stalls.

The U.S. said it would lift sanctions and invest in non-oil industries and possibly be removed from the U.S. terrorist blacklist should the transition go smoothly.

The incentives notably do not include a promise to support a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution freezing the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Bashir for his alleged role in war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur.

Washington says Bashir must stand in court but says the priority for the time being is the referendum process.

(ST)