Sudan expects to normalize relations with Washington within 4-6 months after more than a decade under US sanctions, the Sudanese foreign minister said yesterday following talks with the visiting new American envoy.
The United States imposed economic sanctions on Sudan in 1997 and labelled it a "state sponsor of terrorism". Although Washington has a large embassy in Khartoum, it does not have a full ambassadorial post.
Removing sanctions was tied first to ending a long running war in the south of Africa's largest country, but after a north-south peace deal the separate conflict in Darfur brought a new US focus on human rights and kept relations icy.
"The end game is normalization of relations between the two countries," Foreign Minister Deng Alor told reporters after meeting new envoy Richard Williamson, who was making his first trip to Sudan since taking up the post.
"We have a timetable something between now and the coming four months ...maximum six months."
He said normalization could include restoring a US ambassador in Sudan, the lifting of some or all the sanctions and the removal of Sudan from the list of sponsors of terrorism.
But neither he nor the US envoy would be drawn on what specific conditions Sudan needed to meet to achieve this.
Williamson described the meeting as "businesslike and pragmatic," adding that his job was to move towards peace in Darfur and cement the 2005 north-south deal known as the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
"Progress cannot be just in lofty rhetoric but deliverable specifics on the ground where we can find common cause," he said.
He replaced Sudan veteran Andrew Natsios who resigned last year, a move diplomats said was out of frustration at the lack of firm action from Washington on key issues like supporting the north-south deal.
Despite the difficult relations in public, Sudan has cooperated with Washington on security matters and in the "war on terror".
But a powerful US domestic lobby has pressured Washington to continue its hardline approach to Khartoum until the Darfur conflict is resolved.
The George W. Bush administration has been a lonely voice in calling the fighting in Darfur genocide. A UN investigation found no genocide but said some individuals may have acted with genocidal intent.
Mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in early 2003 accusing the central government of neglect. Khartoum mobilized mainly Arab militia to quell the revolt.
Source: China Daily/Agencies
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