SPLM/A critical of cooperation between Washington and Khartoum

A spokesman for the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) told IRIN on Thursday that his organisation was not worried by reports that Washington and Khartoum were ending years of hostility now that the US was seeking Sudanese government support for its war on terrorism. "There's still a lot of support for our cause in Congress. Khartoum cosying up to the US is just a tactic," Samson Kwaje said. Umar Hasan al-Bashir, the Sudanese president, said last week that Sudan had broken all its links with Osama bin Laden, the Saudi-born militant wanted by the US for a string of terrorist attacks. He added that Sudan would cooperate with the US in uncovering those who carried out the attacks. In its latest report on terrorist-sponsoring countries, the US said Sudan continued to be used as a safe haven by several different groups, including the Al-Qaeda (Al-Qa'idah) organisation of Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect in the September 11 attacks. But a State Department official said US talks with Sudan over the past year had produced concrete progress in addressing US counter-terrorism concerns. "The administration and the State Department believe that Sudan is playing ball right now, and [the] State [Department] is happy with what they're getting," one congressional aide was quoted as saying by 'The Financial Times'. The US, however, will reportedly be looking for further measures from Khartoum, including an expansion of efforts to identify and remove all remaining terrorists, a willingness to ship terrorists abroad to face justice, and closer cooperation with international intelligence and law enforcement efforts. Following Sudan's statement of cooperation in the US campaign against terrorism, the US Congress last week backed away from passing legislation aimed at releasing aid to southern rebels, the 'The Financial Times' reported on Thursday. Under pressure from the Bush administration, House Republican leaders late last week withdrew from the floor the Sudan Peace Act - passed by the House in June - which included provisions to make available US $10 million to the Sudanese opposition group, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and to impose capital market sanctions on foreign companies operating in Sudan. The US Senate in August adopted a weaker version of the Act, not including the sanctions, and had scheduled a meeting for last week with House representatives designed to reach agreement on the provisions of the Act. Some observers say legislation has been postponed as it would have been difficult for the US to pass a less stringent version of the Act in the wake of the 11 September attacks. Kwaje denied reports that the SPLM/A had been expecting military aid from the US before the terror attacks. "We have never received any kind of military support from the US, and the failure of the Sudan Peace Act, while unfortunate, will not impact on us much. We have guarantees from USAID that humanitarian aid to the south will not be affected," Kwaje said. In May, the 'Washington Post' reported that the US State Department reached agreement on a proposal to deliver some US $3 million in logistical support to the NDA, in addition to the US $10 million approved by Congress. The support was heavily criticised by Khartoum at the time, accusing the US of perpetuating Sudan's 18-year civil war. But Kwaje was skeptical that the current strategic relationship between Sudan and the US would amount to much. "Bush should come to us for help in fighting terrorism - we know all about it. Why does Washington think that Khartoum has suddenly changed? It's only because they are scared of retribution," he said.