Sudan not to deal with US on basis of media reports- official

January 20, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan will not predicate its dealings with the United States government based on what the media reports, a senior ruling party official said on Thursday.

Ibrahim Gandour, the political-secretary of the governing National Congress Party (NCP) in north Sudan, said that what the media reported about US President Obama’s statements on the “genocide” in Darfur was not adopted officially by the US Administration.

The NCP official on Wednesday warned that the Sudanese government would produce the appropriate response if the US government officially adopted what is reported in the media.

The Sudanese government has frequently complained about the use of the term “genocide” by the US President Obama to describe the eight-year conflict in Darfur region.

In July 2009, Sudan’s presidential adviser in charge of Darfur dossier, Ghazi Salah Al-Deen, described as “regrettable” the labeling of Darfur conflict as genocide by the US president during his trip to the Ghanaian capital Accra.

The US Administration is not the only one that used the term genocide to refer to the conflict in Darfur.

On July 12, 2010, Sudan President Omar Al-Bashir has been charged with three counts of genocide by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against the background of Darfur conflict. Al-Bashir is also sought by the ICC for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in the region.

Darfur conflict erupted in 2003 after rebels groups in the region took up arms against Khartoum government, prompting the latter to launch a counterinsurgency campaign that killed at least 300, 000 people and displaced more than two millions, according to UN estimates.

Khartoum accuses the West of padding the death toll, saying only 10,000 died in the conflict.

Gandour warned the U.S. against any attempt to push for self-determination right for the people of Darfur and added if that happens then they will not allow it to play any role in Sudan again.

He stressed that the conflict of Darfur is different from that of the South which started in 1955.

In a related issue the Sudanese foreign ministry spokesperson Khalid Moussa expressed frustration with what what he described as “moving agenda” used by the U.S. administration.

“We are tired of the political vocabulary that fills the U.S. policy even though it has a positive tone sometimes,” Moussa said.

“The U.S. has a moving agenda because one previous conditions are met then they place new ones to lift sanctions and remove from terrorism sponsoring list” he added.

Sudanese officials are pressing the U.S. administration to deliver on its promises in light of the smooth referendum process and the NCP’s declaration that it will recognize its results.

Washington said Sudan can be removed as early as next July from the terrorism designation list provided that statutory requirements are met.

U.S. special envoy Scott Gration said last week that the administration will not seek to shortcut the procedures under the law to delist any country.

Some U.S. lawmakers this week expressed reservation towards any conciliatory steps toward Khartoum unless a resolution is found to the Darfur conflict and outstanding North-South issues are negotiated.

(ST)