Reacting To Press Report On U.S.-Sudan Negotiations, Save Darfur Urges Envoy Williamson To Clarify Position Before Congress

Reacting to press report on U.S.-Sudan negotiations,
Save Darfur urges Envoy Williamson to clarify position before Congress

Fowler: ‘Normalizing ties with Sudan should be very far off, particularly given that Secretary-General Ban just this week issued a dire report on the continued violence in Darfur’

WASHINGTON – The Save Darfur Coalition today reacted to a New York Times report suggesting that the Bush administration is considering normalizing diplomatic relations with the Sudanese government in exchange for minor concessions.   Jerry Fowler, president of the coalition, urged Special Envoy Richard Williamson to clarify the administration’s views on normalizing relations with the Sudanese government when he testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee next week.

“Khartoum sets the gold standard for breaking international promises,” Fowler said, “which is why previous discussions of normalization have foundered. The New York Times reported on Thursday that the U.S. is asking for additional visas for humanitarian workers and Sudanese consent to the inclusion of Thai and Nepalese units in a U.N.-African Union civilian protection force, while the Sudanese government is pushing in return for broad concessions, including full normalization of relations and U.S. support for its admission to the World Trade Organization.

“Darfur activists around the world were at-once stunned, confused and outraged by this report on the content of the U.S.-Sudan negotiations. It is so at odds with President Bush’s rhetoric on Sudan as to be simply unbelievable. Special Envoy Williamson should clarify the administration’s views on Sudan when he appears before the Senate next week.

“Needless to say, normalizing ties with Sudan should be very far off, particularly given that Secretary-General Ban just this week issued a dire report on the continued violence in Darfur and Sudan’s blocking of the UNAMID civilian protection force. The sad history of negotiating with Sudan’s current government is that it happily gobbles up whatever carrots are offered, but doesn’t follow through on its commitments. It would be better to impose penalties up front and remove them as progress is made. Negotiations with the Sudanese government must be results-based and predicated on true change on the ground in Darfur and the whole of Sudan.

“Negotiations will be successful only to the extent that they result in lasting improvement, including security for Darfuri civilians, inclusive and effective peace talks in Darfur, the full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (which ended the war in southern Sudan). Negotiations must include clear benchmarks of progress.”