Khartoum, (Samajweekly) Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said the government has no mandate to normalize ties with Israel and that any such move would come after the transitional period.
Hamdok made the remarks when meeting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who is on a one-day visit to Sudan, Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.
Hamdok explained that the transitional period in Sudan is led by a broad alliance with specific agenda to complete the transition process and achieve peace and stability in the country prior to holding fair elections.
“The transitional government does not have a mandate beyond these tasks to decide on normalization with Israel. This matter will be decided after completion of the transitional rule structures,” Hamdok said.
The prime minister further urged the US administration to separate between the process of removing Sudan from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism and the issue of normalization with Israel.
For his part, Pompeo voiced the US administration’s support to the transition and peace process in Sudan, including the efforts to achieve security and stability in Darfur and other conflict-affected areas.
Pompeo arrived in Khartoum from Jerusalem on Tuesday. He is the first US secretary of state to visit the African country since 2005, when Condoleezza Rice visited.
