§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Sudan. [85532]
§ Mr. HoonThe Sudanese demand last August that we remove both the Ambassador and his Deputy from Khartoum made it impossible for us to sustain a fully operational Embassy. The Foreign Secretary therefore ordered the temporary withdrawal of all British staff from Khartoum on 27 August.
Since that time, we have been in regular contact with the Sudanese with the objective of normalising relations. I am hopeful that we shall soon have British staff back in Khartoum on a permanent basis so that we can pursue the important work that is to be done there.