Direct US food aid for south Sudan

The spokesman of the US embassy in Cairo stated that the US administration studies sending direct food aid to the Sudan People's Liberation Army.

In press statements, the spokesman said, "No decision has been taken yet concerning this matter," and that there is a study being made to learn about some elements, including the possibility of an attack by the Sudanese government on neutral relief workers and not giving the aid to people who deserve it in the areas controlled by the rebels.

He expressed his belief that there are different opinions in the US administration regarding this issue that give the US administration the chance to learn the different choices in sending direct food aid to the rebels and at the same time weakening the central government in Khartoum.

Meanwhile, US State Department Spokesman James Rubin, commenting on the decision on whether to implement the law that authorizes the US administration to provide direct food aid to the rebels, said, "I wouldn't expect the answer to come in days. It's a complicated issue. I laid out some of the factors that need to be analyzed and so I wouldn't expect it to be one of those things that an instant decision is made."