Zimpapers Logo

Thabo Mbeki

KHARTOUM. — Sudan welcomed the US officials’ recent statements, which reflected positive stances towards the country. On Saturday, the US envoy for Sudan and South Sudan Donald Booth, who is currently visiting Sudan’s Darfur region, told reporters that “war and arms are no longer the appropriate way to resolve Sudan’s issues.” He explained that Washington has asked the chief African mediator Thabo Mbeki to put pressure on the Sudanese armed groups and reject opposition forces to join Sudan’s national dialogue.

Booth’s statements came contrary to previous US stances that regarded the national dialogue conference, which recently concluded, as not leading to resolving Sudan’s issues because key players did not participate in it. On October 10, the national dialogue conference concluded its sessions and approved the dialogue’s national document, which is to be the base for the country’s permanent constitution.

However, major armed movements have refused to participate in the conference, including the Revolutionary Front Alliance, which brings together the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM)/northern sector and the major Darfur armed movements, besides major political parties, top of them the opposition National Umma Party.

The second US stance was represented in a statement attributed to Mark Toner, US deputy spokesperson of the State Department, which was widely reported by local Sudanese media on Saturday and in which he urged South Sudan government to stop supporting Sudanese armed groups.

“The United States calls on the government of the Republic of South Sudan to comply with its commitments to cease harbouring or providing support for Sudanese armed opposition groups, as required by UN Security Council Resolution 2046,” said Toner in the statement.

Sudan’s foreign ministry welcomed the stance of the US State Department and regarded it as a “positive stance”.

The ministry reiterated in a Press release the importance for the South Sudanese government to fulfil its commitments recently signed with Sudan to expel the Sudanese armed groups and preventing them from launching any armed act from its territories against Sudan in accordance with the security arrangements agreement signed by the two countries. — Xinhua.