Out Of Sticks, US Offers Sudan A Carrot To Let South Sudan Secede -- Christian Science MonitorThe US offered this week to remove Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terror as early as the middle of next year if Sudan agrees to let South Sudan secede in a referendum in January.
Fearing a new surge of violence in Sudan, Sen. John Kerry (D) of Massachusetts played diplomat once again this week by flying out to the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, for the second time in just two weeks.
Senator Kerry brought with him a message from President Obama: If President Omar al-Bashir lets Sudan’s oil-rich southern region secede peacefully in an upcoming referendum in January, the US will remove Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terror as early as the middle of next year. The State Department designation is shared by only 3 other countries: Cuba, Iran, and Syria.
But will the offer work?
Read more ....
More News On South Sudan Independence
A curious carrot for Khartoum: What does the south Sudanese independence vote have to do with the US "state sponsors of terrorism" list? -- Al Jazeera
Armies of Sudan north, south do not want war: ministers -- AFP
Sudan Ruling Party Official Rejects Washington Meddling in Referendum -- Voice of America
U.S. Revises Offer to Take Sudan Off Terror List -- New York Times
US offers to remove Sudan early from state terror list -- BBC
Kerry optimistic on Sudan breakthrough -- Washington Post
My Comment: All sides are talking peace, but they are preparing for war. Bottom line, South Sudan has oil riches that the central government in Khartoum wants, and they are not eager to give it away.
As for the U.S. offer of being taken off the U.S. "state sponsors of terrorism" list? .... I suspect that the indicted war criminals in the Sudanese Government do not even care.