Sudan downplays U.S. threats to move its diplomatic mission

Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday downplayed the threats by the United States to move U.S. diplomatic mission from Khartoum to one of other African countries’ capitals after Sudan refused entry of the U.S. army.The United States wanted to send marine infantry troops into Sudanese territory to enhance protection around the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, but was rejected by Sudanese government.“The Sudanese government, with its regular forces, was in better control in terms of minimizing and lessening damages, compared to what had resulted from the violence due to the protests witnessed by Islamic countries against a movie that insults Prophet Mohamed,” Rabie Abdul-Atti, a leading NCP member, told reporters on Sunday.“Khartoum is one of the safest capitals at Arab and African levels,” he said.He said the Sudanese government and the NCP firmly reject violence and assault on embassies, “but insulting Prophet Mohamed is similarly rejected.”Abdul-Atti reiterated the capability and keenness of the Sudanese forces to protect citizens and diplomatic missions, noting that the disputed movie was produced by certain institutions and individuals, not by European or U.S. governments.He denied the accusations that Sudanese government had instigated the people to stage protests, or that the police had designed the incident which claimed the lives of two innocent people.On Saturday, U.S. government was reported to have ordered non- essential staff to leave its embassies in Sudan and Tunisia and have threatened to move its diplomatic missions from Sudan and Tunisia to one of other African countries’ capitals.