Sudan’s NUP mocks foreign minister’s statement to parliament

November 12, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s opposition National Umma Party (NUP) has described the statement of the foreign minister, Ali Karti, before the parliament on Monday as the “shakiest” one and said that it strongly underscores the isolation of the government.

The NUP said in statement issued by its foreign relations secretary, Nageeb Al-Khair Abdel-Wahab on Tuesday that Karti’s statement was in letter and spirit closer to mobilization speeches than diplomatic thoughtful statements.

It criticized the foreign minister’s statement for not mentioning regional and international cooperation and solidarity in areas of development, construction, finance and conflict resolution, considering it a fall back in Sudan’s diplomatic status regionally and internationally.

Abdel-Wahab scoffed at Karti’s celebration of the UN Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) resolution to move Sudan from agenda item 10 with the blessings of the United States.

In his statement before the parliament, Karti offered rare praise of the United States, disclosing that it played a significant role in the UNHRC recent resolution which kept Sudan under agenda item 10 of technical assistance for another year, despite attempts by some parties to move Sudan back to agenda item 4 of monitoring.

“If the US hasn’t cooperated rigorously and clearly with Sudan, we wouldn’t have been able to move from item 4 to item 10”, he said

He thanked the US for its support, saying that Sudan must acknowledge the US position on this issue irrespective of the nature of relations between the two countries.

The NUP statement stressed that any sort of international monitoring on nationals of a certain country represents a diminution of sovereignty of that country, saying that such a decision must be a cause for regret not celebration.

(ST)