Washington, Muharram 29, 1432, Jan04, 2011, SPA -- The U.S. State Department on Monday expressed optimism about the referendum for southern Sudan, scheduled to take place on January 09. U.S. State Department Spokesman Philip Crowley said Washington believes that much work is to be done to ensure the continuation of peace in Sudan and that there is still a long way to go."At the same time, we believe the right signals are there in terms of the upcoming referendum to achieve this," Crowley added. He pointed out that Ambassador Princeton Lyman went to the Sudan and will be assigned by General Scott Gration, U.S. special envoy to Sudan in time to catch up this week. Crowley noted that the Sudan and South Sudan had made considerable progress over the past few months. He also pointed out that Washington and observers in Sudan believe that the election registration process is very reliable, pointing out that both parties in Sudan have confirmed its respect for the outcome of the next referendum, adding that the current circumstances are constructive. --SPA 11:38 LOCAL TIME 08:38 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/852303