Sudan's pariah government may soon have a voice in Washington for the first time in almost four years as a lobbyist tries to secure a contract with the government, the Washington Post reports.

The lobbyist, Robert B. Crowe, who co-chairs the campaign and political action commitees of Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry, D-Mass., has met with U.S. special envoy J. Scott Gration and several Democratic lawmakers recently about the lobbying contract, the article reports.

Some lawmakers and human rights groups are wary of allowing the government to have representation, but Crowe insists "the proposed agreement would require Sudan to take tangible steps for the relationship to continue, including allowing the return of humanitarian organizations to Darfur; allowing free and fair elections; and increasing cooperation with the United States on terrorism and other issues," according to the Post.

The Sudanese government was last represented by Robert J. Cabelly of C/R International, but that lobbying contract ended in early 2006 after receiving heavy congressional criticism.