News and Document archive source
copyrighted material disclaimer at bottom of page
NewsMine war-on-terror mideast-misc sudan-98 Viewing Item | Sudan restores links uk { June 25 1999 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/378185.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/378185.stm
Friday, June 25, 1999 Published at 16:04 GMT 17:04 UK World: Middle East UK and Sudan restore links
By Arab affairs specialist Tarik Adbel Magid Sudan and the UK have formally announced the return of diplomatic staff after a break of 10 months. They say this will lead to a full resumption of relations.
Links were severed after the UK supported a missile attack last year by the United States on a pharmaceutical factory on the outskirts of Khartoum.
In a statement issued on Friday, both countries said they were pleased to announce the return of British and Sudanese staff to Khartoum and London.
The statement also said that there would in due course be a meeting between the British and Sudanese foreign ministers.
British staff will return to Khartoum in stages, starting with a new charge d'affaires, who will oversee the restoration of relations.
Rift over US bombing
Those staff were withdrawn from Khartoum after Sudanese anger at London's support of the American bombing of the Shifa pharmaceutical plant.
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair was alone among western leaders in supporting the American claim that the plant was producing a precursor to deadly nerve gasses and was partly owned by the Saudi dissident Osama Bin Laden.
The missile attack was part of Washington's retaliation for bomb attacks on American embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, in which more than 250 people died.
Doubts over evidence
The 'compelling' evidence that Washington and London said at the time proved the link between the pharmaceutical plant and Osama Bin Laden has never emerged.
There is now a consensus among observers that the plant was mistakenly targeted by the United States.
British Foreign Office sources have said that the Shifa plant was discussed in talks, but that both countries are trying to look to the future and the issue was put to one side.
Britain is, according to the Foreign Office, keen to normalise relations so that it can resume its humanitarian work in Sudan.
London will also seek to reinvigorate the peace talks between the Khartoum government and the rebels in the south of the country.
Last year, the late Foreign Office Minister Derek Fatchett played a key role in brokering a ceasefire between the warring sides.
|
| Files Listed: 8 |
This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been
specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material
available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political,
human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc.
We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without
profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included
information for research and educational purposes. For more information,
go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use
copyrighted material from this site for purpose of your own that go beyond
'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
|