US links normalizing relations with Sudan to Darfur situation: official

KHARTOUM, Mar 2, 2005 (Xinhua) — US envoy to Sudan Charles Snyder announced here on Wednesday that Washington links normalizing relations with Khartoum to improving the situations in Sudan’s troubled western region of Darfur.

Snyder made the statement after holding talks with Sudanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Mutrif Siddig on the bilateral relations as well as the peace process in Sudan.

The US official said Washington “is looking for promoting its diplomatic representation in Khartoum to ambassador level by the coming autumn following improvements of the situations in Darfur.”

Mohammed Amin Abdallah, a senior official in the Sudanese Foreign Ministry, told reporters after the meeting that Snyder briefed the Sudanese side on the US proposed UN resolution which was being consulted within the Security Council.

The US-sponsored draft resolution has called for imposing international sanctions on Sudan under the pretense that the Sudanese government has not fulfilled its commitments in the peace deals on the Darfur issue.

Abdallah added that Mutrif reiterated at the meeting the Sudanese government’s commitment to all agreements related to solving the Darfur crisis.

Charles Snyder concluded his two-day visit to Sudan on Wednesday evening after meeting with a number of Sudanese officials including Sudanese First Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha.

The United States has accused the Sudanese government of genocide in Darfur, which is denied by Khartoum.