State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Sudan is taking the step due to the "critical threat" posed by the North’s nuclear program. She said the United States welcomed the decision, which was announced after a visit to Khartoum by Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan.
That visit came as the US and Sudan, encouraged by Israel and Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
, moved to improve ties after decades of hostility.
The Trump administration has been pushing foreign countries to reduce economic, diplomatic and other ties to Pyongyang in an effort to further isolate the country and bring it back to the negotiating table. In recent weeks, the administration has been targeting African and South Asian nations and several have agreed.
Sudan has been a particular focus of the effort as part of an attempt to improve ties between Washington and Khartoum that has led to a lifting of some US sanctions against Sudan.
Thursday’s announcement came ahead of a decision expected soon for the US to re-list
North Korea as a "state sponsor of terrorism," a designation that President George W. Bush’s administration removed in 2008 as it sought a diplomatic agreement to halt Pyongyang’s atomic weapons program.White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders told news hounds on Thursday she expected a decision on North Korea’s status to be made early next week. The administration had missed an early November congressional deadline to make a decision on the designation but said it would make a determination after the conclusion of President Donald Trump
...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States...
’s just-concluded visit to Asia.
Sudan is one of only three countries ‐ the others are Iran and Syria ‐ that are currently designated state sponsors of terrorism by the State Department, a label that carries economic and financial sanctions. The announcement of Sudan cutting ties with North Korea will likely help its case to be removed from the list.
However,
if you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning...
a senior State Department official said the potential changes to Sudan’s and North Korea’s designations are not directly related and that reviews of both countries are proceeding independently.
The official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said a determination on Sudan would likely depend on how well it implements its pledge to cut ties with North Korea.