SUDAN: PARLIAMENT SPEAKER HASSAN TURABI PRESS CONFERENCE

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• published: 21 Jul 2015
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Arabic/Eng/Nat Sudan's parliament speaker says despite an American attack that wrecked Sudan's largest pharmaceutical plant, troubled relations between the two countries will soon improve. The remarks by Hassan Turabi stand in sharp contrast to several days of rallies and protests in Khartoum, where demonstrators have denounced the United States and, in particular, President Bill Clinton. The statements carry added weight since Turabi is considered the real power behind Sudan's Islamic government. Sudan's parliament speaker, Hassan Turabi, held a news conference at his home in Khartoum on Tuesday. He said he believed troubled relations between Sudan and the U-S would improve soon, despite an American attack on his country's largest pharmaceutical plant. SOUNDBITE: (English) "I don't think it will take too long, although it's getting worse, I mean, now. But it will hit the bottom and then rise, perhaps." SUPER CAPTION: Hassan Turabi, Sudan's parliament speaker Turabi claimed Sudan was not a hostile enemy to either Christians or Americans. SOUNDBITE: (English) "So it's not another country to disregard and it (the Sudan) is not a hostile enemy to Christians, or Americans. I mean, by doctrine or by deep seated culture." SUPER CAPTION: Hassan Turabi, Sudan's parliament speaker Turabi also spoke about Islamic militant Osama bin Laden, who the U-S has accused of orchestrating the bombings of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and whose terrorist network was the target of the air strikes. Turabi said bin Laden was a victim of the West's double standards because it supported him when he was fighting the Russians in Afghanistan. SOUNDBITE: (English) "He was a hero in those days. Even to the Americans, he was a 'mujahid' singular of mujahideen in those days. Anyone who fights the Russians to you is a resistance mujahid, but once the Russians have gone, he himself retroactively becomes a terrorist. So you chose the word and you throw them at people." SUPER CAPTION: Hassan Turabi, Sudan's parliament speaker Turabi said he did not believe bin Laden had a role in the embassy bombings - attacks that he called understandable but not justifiable. SOUNDBITE: (English) "He is not a terrorist at all. You mean he is a person who targets someone just for that? No, definitely not. He would assist anyone who is persecuted, whether it is in Bosnia, or in the Balkans, or in Asia or in any place, or in Africa. He would assist any persecuted minority or community, Muslim community actually." SUPER CAPTION: Hassan Turabi, Sudan's parliament speaker But, in somewhat contradictory tones, Turabi promised the U-S air strikes would not be easily dismissed. Also in Khartoum on Tuesday, Sudan's Minister of Information held a news conference. He said the U-S was mistaken in its belief that the bombed Khartoum factory was manufacturing precursors for V-X nerve gas. SOUNDBITE: (English) "You need special installations, you need special facilities. You cannot produce toxic agents at the same place where you produce medicines and pharmaceuticals to cure diseases. It's unthinkable. Obviously the U-S government is mistaken about this." SUPER CAPTION: Ghazi Salahuddin, Sudanese Minister of Information The U-S attack has angered many Sudanese people, and these women are among those who are vowing to avenge the factory bombing. They are in a compound outside the capital Khartoum, training to be members of Sudan's Popular Army. Parliament speaker Hassan Turabi said all Sudanese people now see the United States as the incarnation of evil. One trainee explained why she wanted to become a fighter. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) SUPER CAPTION: Woman training in the Sudanese Popular Army You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/85a540e4ee6fb20b08445ee48d5c307b Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork