Sudan denounces renewal of US economic sanctions
October 26, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese foreign ministry has denounced the decision of the US president, Barack Obama, to renew economic sanctions on Sudan for another year describing it as “mere political intrigue and double standards”.
In his decisions, Obama referred to the 1997 president Clinton decision imposing sanctions on Sudan for alleged support to terrorism and another decision taken by president Bush in April 2007 expanding the sanctions because of Darfur conflict.
Sudan’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday that insistence of the US administration to renew economic sanctions every year and using various reasons and arguments to justify its targeting for Sudan is nothing but political intrigue, clear contradiction and double standards.
It pointed that Washington says it continues to renew sanctions in order to achieve peace “while experience has proven that sanctions represent the biggest threat to peace and social security, adding it has a direct impact on hindering development and keeping peoples within the poverty and underdevelopment cycle leading to escalation and sustainability of conflicts”.
The statement said the US also justifies imposition of sanctions by saying it is part of the fight against terrorism while its policies towards the Islamic world reflect an unprecedented type of state terrorism, saying the US continues to lose important grounds day after another.
It underscored the Sudanese government will press ahead to achieve peace and consensus through the national dialogue initiative launched by president Omer Hassan al-Bashir recently, saying the initiative was met by unprecedented regional and international support.
The foreign ministry also pointed that the government is aware of its responsibility towards the people of Darfur, saying it will proceed with the implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) in order to achieve permanent peace and stability in the region.
The statement emphasised that the government will continue to negotiate with rebels in South Kordofan and Blue Nile in order to arrive at comprehensive peace, saying its peace efforts are founded upon clear vision to achieve economic development and social welfare for the Sudanese people.
“The US attempts to renew sanctions will not deter the Sudanese government from moving towards achieving permanent peace and sustainable development and it will urge all Sudanese people to unite,” it said.
It added that all countries of the world, except the US and its ally Israel, have agreed that unilateral economic measures are not accepted by the international community because it represents a clear and grave violation for the international and human rights laws.
The US sanctions prohibit trade, credits and loans to the Sudan and blocks assets held of the government and certain officials in the United States.
Washington has admitted several times Sudan’s cooperation in the fight against terrorism, but maintained the sanctions citing, South Sudan, Darfur, Abyei, South Kordofan and Blue Nile.
After the secession of South Sudan in July 2011, Khartoum expected some steps will be taken to normalise lift the sanctions, but Washington demanded to end Darfur conflict and to allow humanitarian access to civilians in Blue Nile and South Kordofan where the Sudanese army fight against the rebel SPLM-N.
(ST)