Sudanese parliament leader warns of West’s interference

KHARTOUM, Sept 19, 2004 (Xinhua) — Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Tahir, speaker of Sudan’s National Assembly, on Sunday warned of the West’s interference in his country’s internal affairs, the government-run information center reported.

Al-Tahir made the remarks in Darfur after the UN Security Council adopted a new resolution threatening sanctions over the crisis in the western Sudanese region.

“If Iraq opened for the West one gate of hell, we will open seven such gates,” he was quoted as saying, adding “we will not surrender this country to anybody.”

Meanwhile, the Sudanese government issued an official statement on Sunday, saying that Sudan will abide by the UN resolution concerning the Darfur issue, although it regards the resolution as unjust.

Local Al Sahafa newspaper quoted the statement as saying that the Sudanese cabinet will hold an extraordinary meeting later in the day to discuss the resolution, which holds out the threat of sanctions on the country’s vital oil industry.

The West has increased its pressure on Sudan over the Darfur crisis, threatening to impose sanctions on the nation’s oil sector and its individual government members if it fails to stabilize the situation in Darfur.

A US-drafted resolution to this effect was adopted by the 15- nation council in a vote of 11 to 0, with abstentions by China, Pakistan, Russia and Algeria.