Diplomatic Battles … Will Sudan Sever the Feeble String?
Report – Sudan Events
In a uniquely unprecedented situation, diplomatic quibbles between Sudan and the United Arab Emirates have recently escalated, to the effect that Sudan is currently engaged in a new diplomatic warfare against Janjaweed supporters, as seen by the Sudanese government, in addition to the military fighting that the Sudanese army is engaged in and where it is making cautious progress in recent days.
Where it began all
The crisis was sparked by heated remarks made by a member of the Sudanese Sovereign Council – Assistant Army Commander General Yasser Al-Atta last week while in Omdurman area during his visit to the General Intelligence Service offices.
Lieutenant General Al-Atta has openly accused several countries of supporting and sponsoring the rebellion, including a clear and precise reference to the UAE.
Atta made the remark in November 28th where he described the UAE as a “mafia state.”
Al-Atta’s accusations coincided with charges published by foreign newspapers about the UAE of supporting and financing the Rapid Support Forces in its war against the Sudanese army. The Wall Street Journal reported in August that the UAE had sent shipments of weapons to the Rapid Support Forces led by General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo “Hemedti”. The UAE has, however, denied the allegations.
Quick UAE reaction
The reaction of the UAE government came yesterday, officially informing the Sudanese ambassador to Abu Dhabi, Abdul Rahman Sharafi, that the military attaché, the deputy military attache and the cultural attaché were persona non grata and are asked to leave the country within 48 hours.
Observers considered this demand a first precedent in the relations between the two countries, as there has not been diplomatic expulsions or summons since the beginning of their relations.
On the other hand, Sudan responded quickly, when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Sudan, Ms Badria Al-Shehi, and informed her of the decision taken by the Government of Sudan to declare (15) diplomats working at the embassy persona non grata and demanded that they leave the Sudan within 48 hours.
Sudan explains
Commenting on the developments, Sudanese Foreign Minister Ambassador Ali al-Sadiq said in an interview with state television on Monday, that “we tried not to launch any hostility, this was because there were contacts by many countries seeking to put an end to the the close relationship between the UAE and the Rapid support, by virtue of the close relationship between Sudan and the UAE as nations, and a well-known history of the role Sudanese played in the renaissance and construction of the UAE.
On the incident of expelling diplomats, the minister said that “despite the confirmed information on its support for the rebellion, the UAE has all of a sudden expelled 3 Sudanese diplomats from Abu Dhabi. Well, the international law guarantees Sudan or any country in our case to respond with the principle of reciprocity by expelling UAE diplomats, this is what we did nothing more, nothing less”. “When this war broke out, it became clear to us and to the whole world that there was military support, supplies, and logistical support coming to the rebel movement from the UAE.” United Arab Emirates.
IGAD and UAE intervenes
The UAE interference in Sudanese affairs took another turn after this declared war of diplomacy, as the UAE rushed to send its National Security Advisor Shakhbout bin Zayed to the IGAD summit that was held recently in Djibouti on the ninth of this December, which prompted the IGAD to issue a final communique of the summit completely different from what was agreed upon there and the Sudan had to reject it, which it did.
Sudan’s foreign minister said on Monday, was wondering as to “What brings the minister of state for the foreign affairs of a very distant country, which has nothing to do with IGAD or a neighbors of IGAD or Africa, to attend this summit? This was an indication that there are deliberate moves to undo the Sudanese plans, and to disrupt any regional or even international activity and initiative so as to frustrate agreement that leads to peace and stability in Sudan.
Buyable parking
The story of the existence of suspicious moves to defeat the Sudanese project led the Sudanese politician and head of the Umma Party, a former adviser in the Sudanese Presidency, Mubarak Al-Fadil, to comment that there is a “sell out of positions taking place,” he related that, “what happened in Djibouti reminds me of my meeting with my friend Boutros Ghali in New York. The first time I assumed the post of Secretary-General in ’92, I met him as Secretary-General of the opposition grouping. Over a luncheon, he told me that he agreed with African foreign ministers at the summit in Khartoum to pass Resolution barring Libya not to intervene in Chad. Well when the vote was counted, the decision was overturned by a majority, but when the issue was investigated, it was learned that Libyan Minister Triki had visited the ministers in their rooms. He told me I met Triki here as a representative of his country Libya, I asked him eagerly about the truthfulness of the information and he laughed and told me “I paid a down payment and a delay.”
Feeble string
A state of political tension now completely dominates the scene of the relationship between Sudan and the UAE and other new and upcoming steps in the direction of further escalation expressed by the Sudanese Foreign Minister when he hinted that “If you initiate a situation with a person in good faith, with the aim of preserving the feeble string, the so called hair of Muawiya, and he did not respect this situation; therefore, there must be other steps, we are studying them and consulting and, God willing, these steps will see the light soon.” The question arises as to whether a thin string will bear the pull and push going on?? The coming days will tell
