U.S. may soon drop Sudan from terrorism list: official
January 11, 2011 (WASHINGTON) – The United States announced today that it is prepared to remove Sudan from the list of countries that sponsor terrorism as early as next July if the North recognizes results of the referendum in the South, an official said today.
“It is a process that takes some time, but by beginning the process in the wake of the referendum, the hope is if they meet all the conditions it can be done by July,” Lyman added.
It is not clear if resolutions to post-referendum issues such as Abyei, citizenship, borders, national debt, water and wealth sharing are part of the conditions for getting off the list.
Last November, U.S. senator John Kerry carried an offer to Khartoum which contained dropping its terrorism designation if Sudan ensures that the South Sudan referendum takes place on schedule and the results are respected.
Washington further said that it “decoupled” the conflict in Darfur from Khartoum’s terror designation in return for a smooth vote that is currently underway.
The referendum is widely expected to lead to mainly Christian and animist southern Sudan seceding from the predominantly Muslim north of the country.
Another key condition for removing Khartoum from the US blacklist is that it not “directly or indirectly” support terror groups, said Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson.
The U.S. State Department added Sudan to its state terror list in 1993, accusing Khartoum of harboring local and international militants including for a time al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
Countries on the list of state sponsors of terrorism cannot receive US aid or buy US weapons and a raft of restrictions on financial and other dealings. The list currently includes Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria.
The U.S. special envoy Scott Gration said at a Congress hearing in 2009 that the terrorism designation for Sudan is no longer valid, and called it a “political decision”.
An official at the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) said in press statements this week that the U.S. should back off from Sudan and that they no longer believe their “false promises”.
Mandoor Al-Mahdi said that despite the U.S. promises and other Western nations to lift sanctions and de-list Sudan from state sponsors of terrorism and provide assistance they did not follow through.
“All we are asking the United States [to do] is to hold its evils from Sudan and we are sure that Sudan will go ahead without these false promises,” he said.
But the foreign ministry spokesperson Khalid Moussa appeared to strike a different tone today saying that Sudan welcomes US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s remarks in Abu Dhabi this week in which she hailed Khartoum’s commitment to the peace agreement with the South.
“I give credit to the government in Khartoum for having agreed in 2005 to let the people of the south to vote on their own future,” Clinton told university students in Abu Dhabi.
Moussa said that the US should adopt practical steps and prompt measures instead of giving words and unfulfilled pledges to remove Sudan from the list of countries considered by Washington to be sponsoring terrorism.
The US should then lift the sanctions being imposed on Sudan as well as remove the political obstacles that the US administration had imposed to impede the writing off of Sudan’s foreign debts.
Sudanese officials often complain that the U.S. breached its pledges following the signing of the North-South peace accord by adding the issue of Darfur to the conditions of normal relations with Washington.
Washington said that even if Khartoum is removed from the list it would still expect Sudanese President Omer Hassan Al-Bashir to answer charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Darfur, which have been leveled against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“The United States continues to believe that President Bashir should cooperate with the ICC,” Carson said.
“The United States has taken a very clear position that you need to have justice and accountability with regard to Darfur and that position doesn’t change,” Lyman told AFP.
The ICC first charged Bashir with war crimes and crimes against humanity in 2009. The court added three genocide charges in July 2010.
“Irrespective of this, we seek a better relationship with the government of Sudan, which is possible,” said Carson, adding that Washington could also seek to have a higher level of diplomatic representation in Khartoum.
Currently, Washington is represented in Khartoum by a charge d’Affaires and a deputy chief of mission.
“We look to have a normalized relationship with a government in Sudan, notwithstanding the need for President Bashir to answer the charges leveled against him by the international community and the ICC,” said Carson.
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Jada Lotole
U.S. may soon drop Sudan from terrorism list: official
It is too soon for U.S to think of deleting the Sudan from the list of the most heinous gang(terrorists). I exhort U.S to first monitor events in the Sudan as they unfold . Sudan under the cruel leadership of the ICC wanted man-Bashir, did nourish Osama in 1990s and the said Osama ordered the demolision of the twin towers which led to the death of thousnads of people ! U.S should only think of pronouncing that as South Sudan has seceeded already from the Northern Sudan, it is not considered one of thoes nations in the list of the terrosits group . Sanctions on Sudan have never been effective at all ! Bashir has been buying and selling dangerous commodities in the watchful eyes of the International Community with impunity ! the best thing U.S can do is to just capture Bashir and hand him over to the ICC and only then shall justice partially prevail in the northern sudan and as for the Independent South, we are here to make sure that no external forces invade our Country !
Aleu
U.S. may soon drop Sudan from terrorism list: official
This is too early for U.S. to make this statement particular, on North Sudan government who were sponsor the bad terrorism including the man that, the worldwide wanted most. You guys can review most speeches from Omar Hassan Ahmed al Bashir which he was publicly speaking against U.S.UK.FRANC and many more others countries of European. Omar al now is sending VP, and many others to Saudi Arabia to tell them that, don’t sell your oil to the Western nations and now U.S are saying, they want to remove this extremists North Sudan government in the terrorism list please give me break.
The good thing is that, Southern Sudan will be out of their trouble one they want to do in the world and the North Sudan should and will remain tiny so that, they will not bothering others nation for population. My suggestion is that, the same government in North Sudan was the one who let Bin Laden go away otherwise, the U.S. would have arrested him and I don’t real see any reason U.S. should be rushing to conclusion when the head of State had committed war crimes and crime against humanity.
Removing or drop off North Sudan government from the list of sponsorship terrorism will be a big mistake for U.S. to do that and I did not change my position to ask people always that, why should the superpowerful nation in the world seem to make politely on the dictatorship.? There are many things Omar al Bashir committed crimes but none of these things were done. For the Southern Sudan, this is the worldwide interests even if the North Sudan don’t want to recognizes it, the rest of the world would. Omar al Bashir have already rearms Arab Tribes against unarms civilians in Southern Sudan borders not to mention people are now dying under Bashir plan and more to come will happen. Why should the powerful nation always apologize to the government that, abusive of humanity being treated fairly.? The man which was been indicted recently year and still the world are trying to make friendship with them what is going on in this world.?
mohammed ali
U.S. may soon drop Sudan from terrorism list: official
There is a huge misconception here.Some people think that the US policy is made and according to their interest and not the US interest!It is interest which drives their policy not emotions or sympathy with a small country or nation.
I think some people don’t even want secession, not for the sake of unity, but just to have something to trade with!This type of business is over now!
Tambura
U.S. may soon drop Sudan from terrorism list: official
Did Omar proof to them that he is not supporting Islamic terrorism in Gaza, so they can remove that government from sponsor terrorist list? In matter of fact that government will never stop supporting terrorist, as I am talking there is guns on the way to Gaza right now which came from Iran traffic so Islamic terrorist can use it to kill innocent Israeli. If American want to remove that government from their list they should just do it but they don’t have to do it by the name of referendum in south Sudan because they still terrorise our people in south this government is giving guns and other support to LRA to kill our people, they are arming Masirya to terrorise and kill our people in Abeyi, why American are just talking about referendum? We have been fighting Islamic Jihadis for last 50 years 2 millions lost their lives under their watch. Until now we never know how our leader John Garang deid. Southern should know that American are after our oil nothing more than that. To arrest criminal Omar or to remove him like the way they did to Saddam is the easier thing they can do but what they will get and who will pay them for doing that? We should know that they don’t do anything for free even CPA came because of oil, when oil trader didn’t get contracts for oil field next thing was Garang.
What I am trying to say is early to take this government from that list.
Next president of South Sudan
Tambura
Lokaku
U.S. may soon drop Sudan from terrorism list: official
So Mandoor Al-Mahdi thinks the United States is governed like Sudan where the dictator Bashir can wake up one morning and issue decrees of all sorts! The USA has a system. Congress has to lift the sanctions not the President. The President is obliged to ask congress to remove the sanctions. That is what democracy is and I hope the new Republic of South Sudan will do the same. When was the last time the Butcher of human beings Bashir asked the National Assembly of Sudan to do something? Those cabbage heads at NCP think they can bully everybody! North Sudan citizens, wake up from your deep slumber!