The former French ambassador to Sudan, Michel Raimmbaud, has said that targeting Sudan is not new; it is part of a plan to undermine Islamic and Arab countries. He said Sudan is targeted for its resources, such as oil, uranium, copper and gold. 

This came at a symposium to launch a book (Sudan in All Cases) on Saturday 26 January in London.  The book is written in French and will be translated into Arabic and English later.

The opposition rushed to the Abrar House in response to an invitation from the civil society organisation headed by Salah Bandar to listen to Michel's statements.

 

Michel disappointed the opposition by the objective manner in which he discussed Sudan. He said the former Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, played a greater role in isolating Sudan and separating South Sudan. 

Khalid Al Mubarak, Sudan information attaché, spoke at the function, though the supporters of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) and the opposition attempted to prevent him from addressing the meeting. 

He told the meeting that what the ambassador said was correct, citing the document prepared by the Israeli Likud party and some new conservatives in the George Bush administration. He also mentioned what was revealed by an Israeli academician that minorities in the Arab world are being instigated to undermine unity, and that they should start with Sudan. He ended his intervention by stating that not only President Al Bashir or the ruling NCP are targeted, but the entire country is targeted. 

Representatives of SLM-Abdel Wahid Nur and the Popular Congress Party (PCP) accused the ambassador of advocating for the Khartoum regime’s image to be improved.