Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Nagy's Visit Seen as Paving Way for Better US-Sudan Relations

Naba Mohiedeen

   KHARTOUM - A U.S. diplomat's visit to Sudan this week, part of a
   six-nation African tour,was seen asa sign of thawing U.S.-Sudanese
   relations following the military's ouster of Omar al-Bashir as
   president last April.

   In a phone briefing Tuesday in Khartoum,Tibor Nagy, U.S.
   assistantsecretary ofstate for Africanaffairs,said therewere still
   obstacles to Sudan'ssecuringfinancial support from the international
   community, including its continued spot on the U.S. sponsors of
   terrorism list and the country's foreign debt, now at$47 billion.

   Sudanese political analystTarigOthmansaid Nagy's visit was
   importantnow, with the Sudanesegovernmenttrying toget rid of the
   accumulated crises the ousted regime left.Hesaidthe expected role of
   the U.S. administrationwas big, given that issues such as sustaining
   peace and helping Sudan's economy requireeffort and arelinked
   toconditions the U.S.specifiedtoenable the removal ofSudan from SST
   list.

   SudanPrimeMinister Abdallah Hamdok has called on the eight-nation
   "Friends of Sudan" group to provide political and economic support to
   facilitate the transition.

   Under terms of last year's political agreement, the joint
   military-civilian transitional government will rule the country for
   three years, then give way to an elected government.

   Political analystAlfatihMahmoudsaid he thoughtSudan's recovery
   wouldrequire politicalas well as financialcontributions.Donors and the
   "Friends of Sudan"cantake certain steps,including debt reliefand
   rescheduling, "so the new government can put its feet on the ground,"he
   said.

   Survivors seek justice

   Anotherobstacle to Sudan's recovery is the issue of justice.Families of
   people killed during last year's revolution have urged the United
   States to pressure Sudan's transitional government to investigate
   possible crimes against humanity committed during the uprising.

   Handing over al-Bashir to the International Criminal Court was one of
   the issues Sudan's transitional authorities discussed with Nagy.

   Sudan's attorney general, Tajelsir el-Hibir, has said that any transfer
   of al-Bashir depends on the stance of the victims' families and the
   outcome of peace talks with the Darfur rebel movements in Juba.

.