Sudan’s FM dismisses American ‘threats’

TUNIS, May 22, 2004 (UPI) — Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail Saturday dismissed “American threats” to impose sanctions on his country as part of the “elections fever.”

He told a news conference on the sidelines of the Arab summit in the Tunisian capital, Tunis, that Sudan was keen on resolving “all pending issues with the United States in a realistic and reasonable manner.”

Ismail, who is heading Sudan’s delegation to the summit, said his government agreed to provide facilities to humanitarian organizations to bring in relief aid to parts of the country, including the troubled area of Darfour.

He denied reports of genocide against African tribes by Arab tribes in Darfour, saying the fighting in the region was being carried out by “rebels.”

The minister insisted that most of those killed in the area were members of the Sudanese army and police, adding that 23,000 people were displaced from their homes due to the fighting.