ANKARA - Sudanese External Affairs Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said on Tuesday that Turkey could help betterment of relations between Sudan and the United States as a close ally of the United States.
Holding a press conference after his meetings in Turkish capital of Ankara, Ismail said that Turkey, Iran and Yemen, three countries in the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Troika, sent a letter to the United Nations (UN), asking the organization not to impose sanctions on Sudan because the Sudanese government was making cooperation.
Ismail said that any sanction could hamper these efforts.
Noting that Turkey was a country which had friendships with powerful countries, Ismail said that therefore, it could serve as a mediator and work to ease harsh statements about Sudan.
Ismail noted that Sudan would accept if Turkey wanted to act as a mediator.
Answering a question on Darfur problem, Ismail said that stability started to be ensured, and about 150,000 refugees returned to their villages.
Ismail stated that Sudan did not want to see foreign forces in its territory due to this problem.
Noting that Sudanese people would not welcome foreign forces, Ismail said that everybody knew the results of a concrete intervention in Iraq.
Answering a question on the Greater Middle East Initiative, Ismail said that the initiative had both pluses and minuses.
Ismail said that democratization was the plus of the initiative. Stating that Sudan was also working for democracy, Ismail said that the initiative could not be put into practice if Palestine and Iraq issues were not solved.
On Turkish-Sudanese relations, Ismail said that the first Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting would be held in Sudan in December.
Ismail added that experts from Turkish Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) and Turkish Oil Corp. (TPAO) would visit Sudan.
(BRC) 27.07.2004