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

Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday downplayed the United States' threats to move U.S. diplomatic mission from Khartoum to one of other African countries' capitals after Sudan rejected the entry of U.S. army.

The United States wanted to send U.S. marine infantry troops into Sudanese territories 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 here Sunday.

"Khartoum is one of the safest capitals at Arab and African levels," according to Abdul-Atti.

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.

Sudan on Saturday rejected an official U.S. request to allow for the entry of U.S. Marine infantry troops to Sudanese territories.

On Friday, massive demonstrations broke out in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum where thousands of protestors attacked German and British embassies and then attempted to storm the U.S. embassy in protest against the movie which has triggered protests across the Arab and Islamic countries.

At least three protestors were killed during the protest in front of the U.S. embassy when they were hit by a police vehicle, while some 50 civilians and policemen were injured.

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