CAIRO — The United States has agreed to lift sanctions on Sudan,
which could result in the sale of weapons to the Arab League state.
For the last decade, Sudan has been on the State Department's list of
terrorist sponsors. Relations began to improve in 2002 when Sudan relayed
intelligence to the United States on Al Qaida.
Officials said Sudan's cooperation with the U.S. intelligence community
angered Al Qaida, which at one point threatened the Khartoum regime. They
confirmed reports that Sudan has transferred files, including photographs,
of Al Qaida operatives based in Khartoum in the 1990s.
Sudanese officials said the Bush administration has drafted a timetable
to remove U.S. sanctions from the regime in Khartoum, Middle East Newsline reported. They said the
sanctions would be lifted by the end of 2005.
The U.S. agreement was said to have been relayed during a visit to Sudan
this week by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick. Zoellick, who
attended the inauguration of Sudan's unity government, visited Khartoum for
the third time this year and reviewed relations with the Arab state.
"The Sudanese people and their leaders now have an opportunity to create
a future of peace, reconciliation, democracy and development," Zoellick said
on July 10. "We will remain engaged to help them realize the potential for
lasting peace throughout Sudan and a better life for all the Sudanese
people."
Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Ismail said Washington has agreed to
remove Sudan from the State Department list of terrorist sponsors. Ismail
said the measure would be accompanied by an upgrade in diplomatic relations.
The lifing of U.S. sanctions would result in aerospace sales to
Khartoum. Ismail said the United States would sell spare parts for the fleet
of Boeing aircraft in the state-owned Sudan Airways.
The administration would also be prepared to export equipment for
Sudan's railway network. Officials said Washington would also consider the
export of non-lethal defense equipment to Khartoum.
Ismail said Khartoum and Washington would exchange ambassadors within
the next few months. The foreign minister said the State Department has
purchased a plot to build the largest U.S. embassy in Africa. The State
Department has not confirmed this.
