Sudan Not Requesting Russian Economic Aid In Exchange For Military Base Deal - Embassy

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 13th September, 2021) Sudan did not ask Russia for economic aid in exchange for a deal on the military base, Sudanese Charge d'Affaires in Moscow Onur Ahmad Onur told Sputnik on Monday, adding that such reports are groundless.

On Sunday, a military source told Sputnik that Khartoum considers it necessary to amend the agreement on the creation of a Russian naval base in Port Sudan on the Red Sea in order to receive economic assistance from Moscow in exchange for a five-year lease with an option to sign a 25-year agreement.

"It is not true. This news is not true.

This is groundless news. The Sudanese side is not asking for any payments in connection with the military base agreement, " the diplomat said.

Onur also said that asking for "some payments" would be bad for bilateral Moscow-Khartoum relations.

The deal between Sudan and Russia on the military base will be signed in near future, according to the diplomat.

"Small changes will be made, and after that, the agreement will be signed ... I think in the near future," Onur said, adding that possible amendments are discussed at the level of the Russian-Sudanese commission on military cooperation.