Sudan FM goes public with his displeasure over receiving Iranian warships
(Sudan Tribune) The Sudanese foreign minister Ali Karti criticized the government for allowing Iranian naval warships to dock in the Red Sea coastal city of Port Sudan late last month in remarks that confirmed reports of rifts within the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) over ties with Tehran. “The view of the Sudanese foreign ministry that these ships should not [be allowed] to dock and we spoke with the defense minister and submitted our opinion to the president of the republic and the decision [was made] that these ships are not to dock [in Port Sudan]” the top Sudanese diplomat disclosed. But this time around Karti said that he found about the Iranian warships visiting the country “through the media”. The minister reiterated that had he been consulted he would have again advised against receiving the Iranian navy ships. “Even now I would have said that we don’t need these problems [associated with the Iranian warships],” Karti asserted. In the TV interview the Sudanese foreign minister said that whoever in the government that authorized the visit of the Iranian ships did not know that it will coincide with the airstrike. Karti admitted that there are disagreements within the government on the Iran ties. He also denied that the country received any request from Tehran to forge an alliance aimed at protecting the Red Sea.
Further Reading: http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?iframe&page=imprimable&id_article=44425
S. Kordofan governor vows no talks with Sudanese rebels until their military defeat
(Sudan Tribune) South Kordofan governor Ahmed Haroun vowed Saturday that no talks will be held with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N) until the defeat of the rebel group. SPLM-N said on Friday they repulsed a government attack on Dal Dako located northeast of South Kordofan capital Kadugli. The rebel group also claimed they killed 70 government forces. But the governor Haroun on Saturday dismissed the rebel statement reaffirming that the forces of the 14th division of the Sudan Armed Forces and the militia of Popular Defence Forces crashed the rebel fighters in the areas and fully control it. Addressing the government forces who participated in the operation, Haroun said there would be no further negotiations -N until the SPLM-N rebels become convinced that they cannot achieve their objective through the military means.
Further Reading: http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?iframe&page=imprimable&id_article=44418
Sudan Rejects Mbeki’s Proposal on Abyei
(Sudan Vision) The Sudanese government has rejected the AU mediation’s proposal on Abyei, stating it will remain committed to Abyei Protocol. “Sudan is a sovereign country and it will not agree to dictated decisions” said Dr. Al-Haj Adam, Sudan’s Vice President. “The government will not engage the SPLM-N until it politically and militarily disengages from South Sudan”. Dr. Adam, however, affirmed government’s eagerness to reach an agreement with South Sudan on all unresolved issues and to implement the cooperation deal concluded in Addis Ababa to restore strength of relations between the two nations. Vice President Adam who made the remarks in his address yesterday to the opening session of Khartoum state assembly also repeated the government’s keenness to reach a final settlement with Juba over the border and Abyei issues.
Further Reading: http://news.sudanvisiondaily.com/details.html?rsnpid=215682
Sudan ‘does not fear Israel’
(AFP) Sudan does not fear Israel and will stand by the Islamist Hamas movement, the vice-president said on Sunday, after Khartoum denied links between Hamas and a military factory Sudan accused Israel of bombing. “We announce that we will support Hamas… and we will not fear Israeli aggression,” Vice-President Al-Haj Adam Youssef said, according to an SMS news alert from the official Radio Omdurman. Ismail Haniya, head of the Hamas government in Gaza, has condemned “the Zionist terrorism behind the bombing of a (military) factory in Sudan.” Haniya visited Sudan last December and held talks with President Omar al-Bashir. The talks were part of the Hamas leader’s first official regional tour since the Islamists’ 2007 power seizure in the Palestinian enclave.
Further Reading: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/
Female Journalist Beaten
(Radio Dabanga) The family of Sudanese journalist Somaya Handoussa has started procedures for a criminal investigation of several employees of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), sources informed Radio Dabanga on Sunday November 4. The journalist’s parents stated they started the procedures after finding their daughter on Friday morning, “dumped in the outskirts of Khartoum north (Bahri) with a shaved head, clearly showing signs of torture, psychological and physical exhaustion.” Somaya, who worked for several Sudanese newspapers including al-Sahafa, currently resides in Egypt and was visiting her family in Sudan for Eid al-Adha.
Further Reading: http://allafrica.com/stories/201211050040.html