Sudan gets message from United States on sanctions
KHARTOUM, June 26 (Reuters) - The United States has
contacted Sudan on issues including Khartoum's call for an end
to U.N. sanctions, imposed following accusations Sudan was
harbouring Moslem militants, a newspaper reported on Monday.
The independent al-Sahafa newspaper said Foreign Minister
Mustafa Osman Ismail had received a message from the United
States at the weekend, but gave no details about the content.
"(It) comes in the context of the exchange of messages
between Sudan and the United States in recent times," the
newspaper quoted Ismail as saying.
The Organisation of African Unity has urged the Security
Council to rescind sanctions imposed in 1996 after Egypt accused
Sudan of sheltering Moslem militants who tried to assassinate
President Hosni Mubarak in Addis Ababa a year earlier.
Ismail said the dialogue with the United States might affect
the timing of a sanctions debate in the Security Council, where
the United States, as one of five permanent members, has a veto.
"Another postponement is possible in view of our dialogue
with the United States, looking to preserve the government's
objective of lifting the sanctions and the non-use of the (U.S.)
veto," Ismail said.
Ismail said Sudan had no desire to confront the United
States, which carried out a missile strike on a Khartoum
medicine factory in 1998, saying it was making poison gas
ingredients. Sudan denied the charge.
Sudan's relations with the United States have been strained
by U.S. accusations that Khartoum supports international
terrorism and abuses human rights. But a tentative dialogue has
got under way since the United States last year appointed a
special envoy to Sudan, Harry Johnston, who visited Khartoum in
March and June this year. |
