Jul
31
Debiesen Envoy says U.S. sanctions against Sudan reduced
Sudan, along with Cuba, Iran and Syria is reported by the U.S. State Department as a state sponsor of terrorism and therefore is subject to penalties that include restrictions on aid.
Gen. Scott Gration, United States special envoy to Sudan, told lawmakers that it has no knowledge of intelligence to justify the presence of Sudan on the black list and suggested that sanctions are counterproductive to efforts to secure peace in the country.
There is no evidence in our intelligence community to support (the Sudan) is in the list of states sponsors of terrorism, he explained. It's a political decision, he said.
The mandate of the retired general of the Air Force is trying to preserve a 2005 peace agreement that ended a civil war two decades between northern and southern Sudan, and to help restore stability in the western region of Darfur, after years of clashes between government and rebel forces.
The peace agreement between the north and south established a provisional government with a coalition between the Muslim north and the south, mostly Christians, spreading the oil wealth.
The pact expires in 18 months, when the south of the country conduct a referendum to decide if she is separated from the north.
We are harming the development of the things we need to do (to) help the south become (…) if they choose to separate, in an economically viable state, Gration said, noting that Washington could not move heavy equipment to build roads and railways.
At some point we will have to relax some of these sanctions so we can do the same things we need to do to ensure a peaceful transition and a state that is viable in the south, if they decide to separate, he said.
In his last report, the State Department described Sudan as a cooperative partner in global efforts against terrorism.
Gration said the policy review of United States on Sudan would be ready in a few weeks and that Washington needs to have a relationship with Khartoum to discuss the issues in the north, south and Darfur.
(Published in Spanish by Ricardo Figueroa)