Only rarely have foreign ministers from countries on the State Department list of state sponsors of terrorism been received at the department.

Zoellick told Ismail he plans to attend the July 9 inauguration of the country's National Unity government. The new government is called for in the Jan. 9 peace agreement between Khartoum and the main southern Sudanese rebel group.

Zoellick also discussed with Ismail the importance of protecting people living at camps for displaced persons in the vicinity of Khartoum, deputy State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said.