Khartoum: Withdrawing Sudanese diplomatic missions from US does not mean boycotting relations

Sudan's Foreign Minister Mustafa Othman Ismael has asserted that the withdrawal of Sudanese diplomatic missions from Washington and US diplomatic missions from Khartoum does not mean boycotting relations between the countries.

In a statement to the London-based al-Quds al-Arabi on Wednesday the Sudanese minister stressed his country's desire to open new page with Washington on the grounds that what had been committed and said by the US was not correct. Othman expressed his country's readiness to cooperate with Washington so the US will be sure it was misinformed concerning its attack on al-Shifaa pharmaceutical factory.

He added that Sudan will be persistent in setting up an international fact-finding commission in case Washington maintains that its information is correct.

The Sudanese minister said Washington has to decide whether the military strikes against the factory were the result of misinformation it received from circles of Sudanese opposition abroad or from other sources.

"Then, there will be a chance for Washington to reconsider its source of information about Sudan, and thereby open a new page in Sudanese-American relations, or to admit that this information was not correct," he said, adding that the US carried out an unjustified attack and told lies to Americans and the world alike.

The Sudanese minister said the US military strike against his country has isolated the US before the world and created international, African and Arab solidarity with Sudan.

Ismael ruled out that Sudanese government will give up its programs as a result of the US strike. He noted that Sudan does not constitute a threat to US security or interests, but holds an Arab position that refuses US hegemony.