US prepared to discuss removing Sudan from terror blacklist after pledges to cut ties with North Korea
After talks with Sudanese foreign minister, US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan said Washington would consider taking the African nation off the list
The United States is prepared to hold talks on removing Sudan from its blacklist of “state sponsors of terrorism”, a senior US official said in Khartoum on Thursday.
Sudan meanwhile said it was ready to cut ties with North Korea, in a sign of goodwill towards Washington.
US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan said that given the “positive” steps taken by Sudan since last year, Washington was prepared to discuss removing Sudan from the blacklist, which also includes Iran and Syria.
“We are prepared to continue discussions with the government of Sudan on this issue … and to engage with them on all that would be required to have them removed from the list of state sponsors of terrorism,” Sullivan told foreign media journalists based in Khartoum.
Sullivan is the highest ranking official from US President Donald Trump’s administration to visit Khartoum since Washington lifted its 20-year-old trade embargo on October 12.
He is on a two-day visit aimed also at discussing human rights and religious freedoms in the African country.