Normalization with Israel is not a precondition for Sudan to be removed from the US state sponsor of terror list, US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook and State Department Spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said ahead of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to Khartoum.
Pompeo made history before even arriving, as he flew on the first official direct flight from Israel to Sudan. He was also the first US secretary of state to visit the country since Condoleezza Rice in 2005.
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok told Pompeo on Tuesday that his country's government was not mandated to normalize ties with Israel, its cabinet spokesman said in a statement.
The Sudanese premier said he held "direct and transparent" talks with Pompeo, including about the removal from the list.
Hamdok reaffirmed to Pompeo the importance of separating normalization of ties from a US decision on removing Sudan's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, spokesman Faisal Saleh said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Sudanese leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in February and announced that they would take steps toward normalization. In March, Sudan Sudan began allowing flights on their way to Israel to enter in its airspace.Israel ties not a condition for Sudan to shed terror-sponsor status - US | by Lahav Harkov | Reuters
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