Sudan, US agree to start 2nd dialogue stage

By Adel Abdul-Rahim

KHARTOUM

Sudan’s foreign minister on Tuesday announced a second stage of dialogue with the U.S., with an eye to removing his country from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Al-Dardiri Mohamed’s remarks came during his meeting with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, according to a Sudanese Foreign Ministry statement.

Last year the U.S. lifted sanctions against Sudan and removed it from the list of countries whose citizens are subject to travel restrictions.

But the U.S. kept Sudan on the list of states it considers as supporting terrorism, a list it has been on since 1993.

The diplomats’ meeting focused on relations between the two states and the importance of moving forward to developing them, as well as Sudan’s pivotal role in the region, referring to the U.S. deputy secretary of state praising Sudan's support for the establishment of regional security, said the statement.