"I will encourage President Al-Bashir to recognize the essential role of journalists and a free press and release Paul and his colleagues on humanitarian grounds."
Richardson was invited to meet Al-Bashir in part because, ten years ago, when Richardson was a New Mexico congressman, he, Al-Bashir, and Ambassador Ahmed worked together to secure the release of an Albuquerque-based pilot and two Red Cross workers who had been held hostage for 38 days by Sudanese rebels.
International affairs experts are cautiously optimistic.
"Personal interventions like this by important people can often be successful," said Daniel Chirot, a professor of international studies at the Henry M. Jackson School of the University of Washington in Seattle, "particularly if it is in the interest of the responsible government to give the impression that it can be accommodating."
On the other hand, Chirot says, there are no guarantees, especially given that the U.S. is unpopular in the Muslim world.
"I have no way of knowing which outcome will occur, but Richardson is right to think that there is a good chance he will succeed."
Salopek's trial is scheduled to resume on Sunday.
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