Washington denies supporting southern Sudan dissent, and assures its right to self-determination

Harry Johnston, the special US envoy to Sudan, said his visit to Sudan achieved great progress in the relations between the two countries.

Johnston, who concluded his visit to Sudan yesterday, denied what he depicted as the prevailing belief that USA supports southern Sudan's dissension.

Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Othman Ismail expressed on Monday his hope that Johnston's visit to Khartoum will normalize Sudanese - US relations, saying that if Washington plays a role in solving the southern Sudan problem it must be neutral.