WASHINGTON Ñ The United States is exploring ways to stop the flow of
weapons to Sudan.
Officials said the Bush administration is concerned that Sudan's
military buildup will lead to a breakdown of the current peace efforts as
well as an international drive to expand Khartoum's limited ceasefire with
the rebels. They said Sudan has been absorbing large amounts of platforms
and weapons from such countries as China, Iran and Russia.
Over the last six months, Sudan has obtained MiG-29 fighter-jets from
Russia as well as components for tanks and other weapons from China.
Officials said even European countries have been concluding sales with
Khartoum.
Last month, Congress was urged to help stop U.S. allies selling arms
to Sudan. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee was told that such
states as China, Malaysia and Russia have been involved in the weapons trade
with Khartoum.
John Prendergast, codirector of the Brussels-based International Crisis
Group told the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on African Affairs that
the arms sales to Sudan violate the Wassenar Agreement. The agreement seeks
to reduce sales of advanced conventional weapons to oppressive regimes.
"Much more robust and higher level diplomatic efforts could be expended
on reducing the unimpeded flow of arms to the Sudan government, which
remains on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism," Prendergast said.
"U.S. officials at the highest levels should also engage China on its
burgeoning arms sales to Khartoum."
Officials said the Khartoum regime has benefited from increasing oil
revenues to bolster its military. They said EU countries such as Britain,
Germany and Switzerland continue to invest heavily in Sudan despite the
civil war in the south.
"Under the Wassenar Agreement, Eastern European countries voluntarily
pledge to maintain certain standards for arms transactions," Prendergast
said. "Sales to Sudan certainly do not meet those standards, and higher
level and more public U.S. diplomacy should be deployed to counter these
sales, especially during the peace process."
Sudan has also been cited as a leading destination for illicit light
weapons. At a conference last month by the Bonn International Centre for
Conversion, Sudan was identified as one of several countries in the Horn of
Africa region that has obtained weapons to fuel civil unrest.
