Arab League moves to lift sanctions off Sudan

The secretary general of the Arab League Ismat Abdul Meguid has stated that the Arab League is making intensive efforts on the international arena to back Sudan's efforts to lift the sanctions imposed on it since 1996.

In statements issued in Cairo on Tuesday, the Arab League chief added that he assigned the chairman of the Arab League mission in New York Hussein Hassouna to follow up these contacts to this effect with the Arab, African and Islamic groups, also the non-aligned movement and the East and West Europe groups in backing Sudan's position to convene a special meeting for the UN security council in November.

The Arab League assistant secretary general for Arab affairs Ahmad Bin Hali, who is in charge of the Sudanese file said that the secretary general of the Arab League sent recently two messages to the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and to the chairman of the UN Security Council asking for lifting the sanctions imposed on Sudan after Sudan has completed its obligations towards the UN Security Council resolutions. He explained that there is a previous decision taken by the Arab foreign ministers on September 4, stated backing the demand made by Sudan to lift the sanctions imposed on it.