Sudan Denies It Agreed to an Israel Airlift

The Sudanese Embassy in Washington denied Tuesday that President Jaafar Numeiri had approved last week’s airlift of Ethiopian Jews from Sudan to Israel.

In a statement telexed to The Times--which reported Saturday that Numeiri told Vice President George Bush he had no objections to a refugee airlift--the embassy reaffirmed “. . . the stated policy of the government of the Sudan, as previously stated by President Numeiri, that refugees are welcome to the Sudan and are always free to leave the Sudan to the destination of their choice, with the exception of a direct repatriation to Israel, in view of longstanding policy of the government of the Sudan toward Israel.”

The statement continued, “Sudan, as a member of the Arab League, respects and observes the stated policy of the Arab League,” which since the birth of Israel in 1948 has prescribed a total ban on Arab contacts or cooperation with Israel.

“The embassy categorically denies that President Numeiri has at any time given an approval in contradiction of the above-stated policy. And as such, the reports over the weekend regarding a direct airlift of Ethiopian Jews to Israel are mere speculation and unfounded allegations.”

The Times report indicated that Numeiri was expected to counter any criticism of an airlift by implying that he was double-crossed and that he had never given his assent for the refugees to fly to Israel.