wants to trade more with Sudan, a vast African country whose president is wanted for genocide and war crimes, Britain's new minister for Africa said on Monday.
On his first official visit to Sudan, Henry Bellingham said Britain's new government sought to encourage companies to invest more in Sudan, particularly in its oil and services sectors.
"During this meeting we questioned what will be the new British government policy towards Sudan. We heard encouraging statements from the minister and we hope that what he said is the endorsed UK policy towards Sudan," said Mustafa Osman, an advisor to Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.
Bashir was indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Darfur last year. The court later added genocide to the charges, accusing him of orchestrating murders and other crimes in the western region.
Many companies have been cautious of any Sudan links, particularly after the United States imposed sanctions against the country in 1997. Britain's previous Labour government has also mainly focused on Sudan's human rights situation.
Bellingham said the new government, which came to power this year, wanted to boost trade while remaining a staunch supporter of the ICC which has issued an arrest warrant for Bashir.
"We feel the government of Sudan should cooperate with the court on the existing arrest warrants but on the other hand we don't have an argument with the Sudanese people and it would quite perverse and wrong for us to not encourage trade," Bellingham told journalists in Khartoum.
"We also want to see more UK banks taking a positive view towards Sudan those UK banks may have interests in America what they do in Sudan has no bearing on what they do in America," he added, following meetings at Sudan's foreign ministry.
The policy shift could deal a blow to a global campaign to put pressure on companies, mainly from the United States, to stop doing business with Sudan because of human rights concerns.
Some Sudanese struggling to make a living however will welcome Britain's initiative which could open European markets to private businesses. Critics also say that U.S. sanctions have failed to put pressure on the government.
Bellingham said British exports to Sudan were 123 million pounds ($190 million) last year and Sudanese exports to Britain stood at 18 million pounds. He added Britain could use the community of 35,000 Sudanese living in Britain as a way to expand trade.
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