'US is fomenting trouble in Sudan'

Khartoum: Sudan's Minister of Sate for Foreign Affairs Ali Ahmad Kharti blamed the US for fomenting trouble in Sudan to cover up for its failure in Iraq.

"They want a new issue to distract the attention of the ordinary Americans and the world community and hence have shifted their focus on Sudan by highlighting the Darfur issue.

"Sudan is not isolated. The Arab League, Organisation of Islamic Countries and the African Union are fully supporting the cause of Sudan and are actively working to solve Sudan's internal and regional problems," he stated.

"All the Arab and Islamic countries are united and if there is any disinformation to the contrary, then it is the creation of the Western media," he said.

But, he did admit that there were a "very few" African countries "who are, may be with the US" for their own selfish interest. The biggest victory for Sudan, however, he asserted was the backing of China and Russia.

"If we have two out of the five veto power nations on our side what do you call it? Our diplomacy is working, much to the antagonism of the US."

Although he lamented the fact that none of the Arab or African countries have a veto power in the UN, he was pleased to note that Qatar, which is one of the five non-permanent countries in the UN Security Council, is with them since it is a brotherly Arab country. He believes that Sudan will be able to tide over the crisis with its own resources and diplomacy and with the help of friendly countries.

Meanwhile, advisor to Sudanese President Dr Mustafa Othman Esmail said the country will not implement the UN resolution.

Dead

"For us it [UN Resolution 1706] is dead because we refuse it and we said that we are not going to implement it," Esmail told Gulf News yesterday evening.

Esmail, a former foreign affairs minister, made it clear that Sudan analysed the situation and assessed it and have come to the conclusion that "it is better for us to be under US sanctions rather than to accept the resolution 1706."

He remarked that sanctions from the US on Sudan are already there and there is nothing they can add to that.

When asked if the issue of sanctions figured in the talks with John Negroponte, he categorically stated: "No official in Sudan discussed with Negroponte, are you going to apply sanctions or not because this is an issue up to them. It is not our priority. Moreover, Sudan has no dealings with the US, they can punish a third country."

However, he said that Sudan is ready for a dialogue with the US to improve bilateral relations.

"We explained the position of the government of Sudan on Darfur and we told them that we reached an agreement with the UN and if the United States has got anything and if they think that there is a need for dialogue, we are ready."