Khartoum, Sudan - The Sudanese government says it is not surprised by the decision of the US to keep the name of the country on the list of countries Washington considers sponsors of international terrorism. The American administration carries out an annual review of the list, which besides the Sudan, includes Iran, Cuba, The Democartic People's Republic of Korea and Syria. But despite signals by Washington that Sudan would be delisted, the US kept Khartoum within the ill-famous list. The first signal was that if Sudan signed the 2005 peace agreement Washington would delist it, but although the peace deal had ben signed, Sudan remains on the list.

Similar signals were sent to Khartoum as regards the South Sudan referendum, the independence declaration, the Darfur issue and the south Kordufan conflict.

'We have never placed much hope in America honouring their pledge' of removing Sudan's name from the American list of countries supportive of international terrorism, Presidential Assistant, Dr Nafi Ali Nafie, said upon his return from a marathon meeting with Egyptian politicians.

In 1993, four years after Omar Al Bashir took over in bloodless coup d'état, Washington considered Khartoum a sponsor of terrorism and has since never changed its stance.

'Designated as a State Sponsor of Terrorism in 1993, Sudan remained a cooperative partner in global counterterrorism efforts against al-Qaeda (AQ) in 2010. During the past year, the Government of Sudan worked actively to counter AQ operations that posed a potential threat to U.S. interests and personnel in Sudan. Sudanese officials have indicated that they viewed continued cooperation with the United States as important and recognized the potential benefits of U.S. training and information-sharing,' the US State Department said in a report on the renewal of the list.

The report recognized the efforts exerted by the government of Sudan in limiting taking n steps to limit the activities of foreign terrorist groups within Sudan and has worked hard to disrupt foreign fighters’ use of Sudan as a logistics base and transit point for violent extremists going to Iraq. 

It also commended Sudan's role in combating money laundering and in countering terrorist finance. It said Sudan was generally responsive to the international community’s concerns on terrorism and was generally supportive of international counterterrorism efforts.

But the report charged that 'nonetheless, elements of designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations, including al-Qaida-inspired terrorists, remained in Sudan, as gaps remained in the Sudanese government’s knowledge of and ability to identify and capture these individuals as well as prevent them from exploiting the territory for smuggling activities.'

Maintaining the name of Sudan in the list entails a host of economic, technological, military and political sanctions on Khartoum.

However Dr Nafi, the third highest ranking official in Sudan, after the president and vice president, said the decision to renew the sanctions has 'nothing new ... it is expected from the Americans…we have never placed much trust in America honouring its pledges or fulfilling is promises'.

Pana 20/08/2011