KHARTOUM, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese government on Saturday said it was looking forward to working with the U.S. administration to fully normalize relations between the two countries.
"We are looking forward, after the lifting of sanctions, to working together for full normalization," Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour told reporters at Khartoum airport early Saturday.
"Sudan-U.S ties are old and we are looking forward to bringing them back to their normal and natural track," he said.
He went on saying that "the lifting of the U.S sanctions on Sudan came as a natural outcome of a dialogue that lasted for about 16 months and as a result of understandings between the two countries."
The United States on Friday decided to lift its economic sanctions on Sudan permanently, citing Sudan's "sustained positive actions to maintain a cessation of hostilities in conflict areas in Sudan, improve humanitarian access throughout Sudan, and maintain cooperation with the United States on addressing regional conflicts and the threat of terrorism."
The U.S State Department announced that the decision would go into effect as of Oct. 12.
The United States has been imposing sanctions on Sudan since 1997 and listing it as one of the countries sponsoring terrorism.
In late July, the United States extended a review period of three months to decide whether to permanently lift trade sanctions on Sudan given its human rights records and other issues.
On Jan. 13, former U.S. President Barack Obama made a decision to cancel two executive orders imposing economic sanctions on Sudan.
The executive orders gave 180 days for review before the sanctions are fully lifted to ensure the Sudanese government maintains its efforts on human rights and anti-terrorism.
The decision also allowed a resumption of all banking transactions and trade exchange between the two countries.
