Washington asks Khartoum for information and names
Sudan-USA, Politics, 9/21/2001

The Sudanese foreign minister Mustafa Othman Ismael has unveiled that Washington gave a list to Sudan, but he noted that this message asks for "information and names."

Replying to a question on the list of demand requested by Washington from Khartoum, Ismael said:" I can say that the information the US asked for were originally the focus of controversy between the American and Sudanese security departments.

On Monday the US secretary of state Colin Powell made a telephone call with his Sudanese counterpart which was the first of its kind at the ministerial level between the two countries since 10 years.

Sources said that Powell asked Ismael to report him about the role that Sudan can play in fighting terrorism, adding that the American demands from Sudan relate to the activities of Usama Bin Laden during his presence in Sudan between 1990- 1996, as well as the activities of extremist groups which resorted to Sudan in frequent times especially following the decision of the Sudanese authorities to cancel entry visas to all Arabs. A decision which resulted to the condition that many of those known as Afghani Arabs resorted to Sudan.

On the other hand, the Sudanese ruling " national congress party" has defined a program of cooperation with Washington to fight terrorism.

The secretary general of the said party Ibrahim Ahmad Omar said that the Sudanese government will abide by giving support in the framework of the international cooperation through regional and international organizations as well as to providing information in an international context approved by all states.

However, the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir renewed in a statement with the CNN on Wednesday his country's readiness to fighting terrorism. He commended the policy pursued by the US president George Bush towards Sudan, noting the " great difference between the two US administrations. The former which cling to isolating the Sudanese government and toppling it and the current American government which resorts to the policy of constructive dialogue and reaching good relations between the two countries."

Previous Stories:
  Washington offers Sudan $ 100 million   (9/13/2001)
  Washington prepares a peace initiative in Sudan   (9/6/2001)
  On Sudanese- American relations   (9/3/2001)

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