Sudan plays down US pledges to ease economic sanctions
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October 2, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese foreign minister minimized
reports about American pledges to ease economic sanctions and to
provide assistance if a peaceful solution ended the Blue Nile and
Kordofan disputes.
JPEG - 14.5 kb
Sudan’s Foreign Minister Ali Karti (R) speaks during a joint news
conference with newly appointed U.S. special envoy for Sudan Princeton
Lyman in Khartoum April 6, 2011 (Reuters)
Reports published in the capital Khartoum on Sunday said the US
special envoy to Sudan Princeton Lyman will arrive soon with some
incentives in coordination with South Sudan to end the war in the two
provinces where the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N)
is fighting against government troops.
"America has made promises of economic aid to Sudan, year after year,
without offering something in return. That is why we do not rely on
such pledge," said foreign ministry spokesperson al-Obaid Marawih on
Sunday.
"It is demonstrated that Washington does not deliver what it says", he
further stressed.
The official pointed out that Sudan’s relations with Europe have
recently witnessed "significant progress" in contrast to
Sudanese-American relations which remain without progress.
Speaking to the press on Saturday after his return from New York and
Paris, foreign minister Ali Karti said the international community is
reluctant to resolve issues related to the secession of South Sudan
because of the US sanction on Sudan.
The minister was referring to the issue of Sudan’s debt to foreign
countries, which reached 38 billion USD. Karti last Thursday discussed
with French foreign minister Alain Juppé ways to relieve Sudan’s debt.
Speaking to the press in Paris, the Sudanese minister said that it was
agreed that France will discuss, on the behalf of Sudan, relief with
the World’s 19 biggest economies, the members of the Paris Club. The
debt servicing incurs more than $1 billion annually.
The minister emphasized that discussions with Washington are focused
on the left on sanctions. "Normalization (of bilateral relations) is
big and misleading word . We are now talking about lifting of the
sanctions".
The US administration pledged to remove economic sanctions and to lift
Sudan’s name from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism during
the negotiations of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
But after 2005 Washington used the two measures to put pressure on
Khartoum and asked for the end Darfur conflict, followed by the full
implementation of the CPA agreement on Abyei’s disputed border before
they would remove sanctions.
Lyman however urged recently Darfuri rebels and the SPLM-N to seek a
negotiated solution for their conflicts with Khartoum. He further said
Washington does not encourage other options, alluding to rebels
statements to overthrow the regime.
South Sudan’s minister of industry and investment Garang Diing Akuong
told the Saudi Al-Riyadh newspaper that Obama demanded Kiir to broker
a mediation between his former allies in the SPLM-N and Khartoum.
According to the minister, Obama also encouraged the South Sudanese
leader to improve bilateral ties with Khartoum and to seek jointly to
settle their disputes.
Kiir is expected to visit Khartoum for the first time as President of
a foreign country.
Bashir and Kiir are expected to discuss Abyei, the border dispute, and
Sudan’s debt as Khartoum is facing a huge deficit in hard currency as
a soaring inflation hits the Sudanese economy.
Last week Bashir warned that the two countries have to seal a deal on
South Sudan oil transportation fees before the end of October to shore
up the shortfall in Sudan’s budget.
(ST)
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