Off the wire
• Greek left gov't rejects austerity, extension of bailout program  • South Sudan army accuses rebels of violating ceasefire agreement  • Zuma brushes aside threat to disrupt his parliamentary address  • Yemen's factions, Houthi agree to resume talks: UN envoy  • Roundup: Fear of security chaos grows in Gaza after series of lawless incidents  • African experts decry high levels of drug residue in livestock  • Teachers in Kenya's clash-hit northern region told to resume work  • Ground offensive on IS to start soon: US envoy  • Nepal PM calls on opposition alliance for "substantial dialogue"  • Roundup: Normandy quartet agrees to meet in Minsk over Ukraine crisis  
You are here: 　 Home

Khartoum hopes official's Washington visit would produce breakthrough in bilateral ties

Xinhua, February 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

Sudan's government said Sunday it hopes a senior Sudanese government official's visit to Washington would produce a breakthrough in the ties of the two countries, Sudanese Media Center (SMC) reported.

Ibrahim Ghandour, Sudanese Presidential Assistant, has begun his visit to Washington, making it the first time for a senior official in years to visit the United States.

"Ghandour's visit to the U.S. represents a development of the dialogue between Khartoum and Washington on many critical issues for both countries on issues of mutual concern," SMC quoting Mustafa Osman Ismail, Sudan's Investment Minister and a leading member of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

Khartoum attributes the stalemate in the bilateral relations to Washington's insistence towards normalization of relations with internal issues, and to continued economic sanctions on the country.

Washington insists that armed conflict in the Blue Nile, South Kordofan and Darfur regions must be resolved as principal conditions for normalizing ties with Khartoum.

"This visit constitutes a qualitative shift and we hope it would produce positive results," noted Ismail. He said Ghandour will discuss with the U.S. officials the means of enhancing bilateral relations, as well as the efforts towards lifting economic and political sanctions on Sudan.

Meanwhile, Ismail downplayed what he described as counter strategies and misinformation campaigns against visits by Sudanese officials to Washington, explaining that "those tactics are from the opposition and pressure groups known for their hostility towards Sudan."

Marie Harf, U.S. State Department Spokesperson, confirmed Ghandour's visit to Washington, noting that the Obama administration will initiate discussions with Sudanese officials.

Washington has imposed economic and political sanctions on Sudan since 1997.

Khartoum said the sanctions have negatively affected many vital sectors in the country including aviation, railways and the transport sector in general.

Losses incurred in those sectors directly as a result of the sanctions reached over 40 billion U.S. dollars. Endit