US can no longer be trusted, Sudan FM says

January 8, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese foreign minister Ali Karti on Sunday reacted angrily to the announcement by the United States that it has now added South Sudan to the list of countries which can receive weapons from it.

South Sudan officially became an independent state last July and Washington has taken steps since to exempt it from most of the sanctions imposed on its northern neighbor.

The U.S. president Barack Obama in his memorandum issued this week said that “the furnishing of defense articles and defense services to the Republic of South Sudan will strengthen the security of the United States and promote world peace”.

But Karti described the US decision as one aspect of imbalance by Washington in dealing with other countries adding that as a result “it is no longer in a place of trust”.

He claimed that the US has violated its own laws several times and provided support to South Sudan even before it seceded from the north.

The Sudanese top diplomat said that the US can do as it please but stressed that Khartoum will no longer await support from it.

Relations between Khartoum and Juba deteriorated dramatically since the country’s breakup amid accusations by the latter that the Sudanese army has launched aerial attacks inside its borders including one which targeted a refugee camp last year.

(ST)