Sudan expelled the top Canadian diplomat and the European Commission envoy from the country for what was described as "meddling in its affairs," the country's state news agency reported Thursday.
It was not immediately clear why they were being expelled, but many Western countries have been critical of the Sudanese government's role in its wartorn Darfur region.
The two were summoned separately to the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday and were handed their expulsion notes, the official SUNA news agency reported, citing Foreign Ministry spokesman Ali Al Sadeq.
They were "involved in activities that constitute an intervention into the internal affairs of the Sudan, a matter that contradict their diplomatic duties and mission," the spokesman said.
The Foreign Ministry did not identify the diplomats, but a diplomatic listing recorded Alan Bones as charge d'affaires for Canada and Degerfelt Kent as the head of mission for the European Union.
The spokesman also said the Foreign Ministry told the diplomats that "Sudan is keen to maintain the relation of co-operation linking it with the European Commission and with Canada."
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It was not immediately clear why they were being expelled, but many Western countries have been critical of the Sudanese government's role in its wartorn Darfur region.
The two were summoned separately to the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday and were handed their expulsion notes, the official SUNA news agency reported, citing Foreign Ministry spokesman Ali Al Sadeq.
They were "involved in activities that constitute an intervention into the internal affairs of the Sudan, a matter that contradict their diplomatic duties and mission," the spokesman said.
The Foreign Ministry did not identify the diplomats, but a diplomatic listing recorded Alan Bones as charge d'affaires for Canada and Degerfelt Kent as the head of mission for the European Union.
The spokesman also said the Foreign Ministry told the diplomats that "Sudan is keen to maintain the relation of co-operation linking it with the European Commission and with Canada."
Full story
Do you think this development will hurt the humanitarian effort in Darfur?
More...
