Sudan demands removal from U.S. list of terrorism sponsors

Sudan on Wednesday reiterated demand for the United States to remove Sudan from the list of states sponsoring terrorism, Sudanese Media Center (SMC) reported.

Khartoum urged Washington to end the system of U.S. envoys to Sudan, and that the bilateral relations should be diplomatic like other countries.

"Until now Sudan does not know why the U.S. delays responding to our proposed issues, particularly after they promised more than once in exchange for peaceful transfer of power in Sudan," Sudan's State Minister for Foreign Affairs Obeid-Allah Mohamed Obeid-Allah was quoted as saying.

"However, all Sudan's fulfilled commitments were only met with further extension of sanctions," he noted.

Obeid-Allah urged the U.S. to reconsider its unilateral coercive sanctions imposed on Sudan, which he described as a "violation" according to international standards.

He said Sudan declared its readiness long ago to cooperate with the U.S., noting that the U.S. should provide concessions towards the sanctions.

"Sudan has nothing to give more than what it has committed to and fulfilled," he noted.

The U.S. has been imposing sanctions on Sudan since 1997 and listing it one of the countries sponsoring terrorism.

Since then, Washington has been renewing its sanctions on Sudan due to the continuing war in Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions besides a number of outstanding issues with South Sudan including the disputed oil-rich area of Abyei.

Sudan's losses due to the U.S. sanctions reportedly amount to over 4 billion U.S. dollars annually. Endit