Sudan rejects UN request to undo the expulsion of 2 international staff

Jan 06, 2015-Khartoum-SudaneseOnline-Sudanese Government reiterated its refusal to reverse the decision to expel two United Nations officials, and stressed its keenness on cooperation with the international organization in accordance with international conventions.
Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported on Sunday that Sudanese Foreign Minister, Ali Karti, received a telephone call from the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, in which the two parties reviewed UN-Sudan relations
Karti said that he has told UN official Khartoum's government's refusal to take back its decision to expel U to expel UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Ali Za’atari and UN Development Programme Country Director Yvonne Helle from the country, noting that he informed the UN official that the individual errors for some United Nations staff would not affect these relations.
n statement it issued on Friday, Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said it ordered Za’atari to leave for "insulting the Sudanese people and its political leadership in an interview with a Norwegian newspaper, while Helle, a Dutch national, was expelled because she was "strongly prejudiced against the Sudanese government" and "treated Sudanese officials with arrogance"
“Sudan is not targeting the United Nations by virtue of being an original member [of the UN] and committed to the provisions of its charter and appreciates its efforts to achieve security, stability and development in Sudan. It is actually striving to develop this relationship in accordance with the provisions of the UN charter and the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council”.
The expulsions are the latest in a string of incidents with aid and humanitarian workers -- in April, Khartoum told the American chief of the UN Population Fund to leave for "interfering" in internal affairs.
They also come amid heightened tensions between Sudan and the UN-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur.
A bid by the mission to investigate a report that government forces raped 200 women and girls in a Darfur village has sparked anger in Khartoum.
Sudan demanded UNAMID form an "exit strategy" and told it to shut a human rights office in Khartoum.


Sudan Tribune

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