Concerned about continued sanctions by the United States, the Republic of Sudan urged Japan on Tuesday to resume economic cooperation, particularly in the oil industry.

Sudan, the largest country in Africa, has been producing oil through a multinational consortium since 1998 with an output of 200,000 barrels per day.

"It is really a new phase in our economy," said Eltigani S. Fidail, state minister of foreign affairs. "That is why we need the presence of Japanese technology and knowhow in Sudan."

In an interview with The Japan Times, Fidail also said that his country would like Tokyo to jointly apply pressure with the international community on rebels in southern Sudan to help put an end to the country's protracted civil war.

Fidail said Japanese assistance to Sudan is currently limited to humanitarian aid via United Nations organizations.

Japan suspended economic assistance to Sudan in 1992.

Fidail, however, said that the African nation needs support in such fields as infrastructure, education and health.

In early November, the U.S. decided to extend economic sanctions against Sudan for another year due to what President George W. Bush called continuing worries over Sudan's record of supporting terrorism and the prevalence of human rights violations.

Fidail said there is no reason to be pessimistic about ongoing bilateral talks with the U.S. because the Sudanese government has never been involved in terrorist activity.

The United Nations Security Council lifted U.N.-imposed sanctions against Sudan in October.

Fidail was visiting Tokyo to attend a two-day ministerial meeting of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, which ended Tuesday. Japan plans to hold a third TICAD summit in the latter half of 2003.

Japan has already hosted TICAD summits in 1993 and 1998.