US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed today, Wednesday, that his country has begun the process of removing Sudan from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism, and at the same time he announced the liberation of two American hostages in Yemen, and spoke about other files.
Pompeo said that President Donald Trump's administration has begun the process of removing Sudan from the US list of states sponsoring terrorism, and is also working "diligently" to push Khartoum to recognize Israel, something Washington hopes will be accomplished quickly.
Pompeo's comments to reporters came just two days after Trump announced that Sudan would be removed from the list of countries that sponsor terrorism, after Khartoum transferred $ 355 million to compensate American victims and their families.
The money was placed in a special account for victims of the Al Qaeda attacks on the United States embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.
A US official said Trump was expected to sign an executive order soon to remove Sudan from the list.
Pompeo did not, however, say whether the lifting of Sudan's name would be conditional on its agreement to normalize relations with Israel.
US officials told Reuters that removing Sudan from the list could lead to a move towards establishing Sudanese relations with Israel, following similar steps from the UAE and Bahrain.
When asked when he expected Sudan to be removed from the list, Pompeo told reporters, "I don't know the exact timing, but we have started the process."
In response to a question whether this was related to Sudan's normalization of relations with Israel, Pompeo said that Washington wanted Sudan and other countries "to recognize Israel."
"We are working diligently with them to prove that it is in the Sudanese government's interest to make this sovereign decision. We hope that they will do so quickly," he added.
Other files
In
another
context, Pompeo announced that two Americans who had been held in Yemen by the Houthi group had returned to the country, and they were in good health, and he thanked Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman for their mediating role for the return of the American detainees.
Regarding Iran, the US secretary said, "The names of 6 entities and two individuals have been included on the sanctions list for those dealing with Iran."
"The pro-Iranian groups in Iraq that threaten its security must be held accountable," he added.
On Libya, Pompeo called on all foreign forces to leave the country and let the Libyans decide their future.
On the Syrian issue, the US Secretary said, "We welcome the sanctions imposed by the European Union" on the Bashar Al-Assad regime.
On the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Pompeo said that the field situation is complicated, and that he will ask the foreign ministers of the two countries next Friday to cease fire and reach a diplomatic solution.