Former UN envoy slams EU for apologizing to Sudan

August 29, 2007 (PARIS) — Jan Pronk the former special representative of the UN Secretary General to Sudan has criticized the European Union for offering an apology to Khartoum over the action of the EU envoy to Sudan.

In an interview with Radio France Internationale on Wednesday, Jan Pronk described the EU apology to Sudan as “mistake” and “counterproductive”. He further said “there is nothing to apologize for; the diplomat just did his job.”

Kent Degerfelt, EU representative to Sudan, was declared persona non grata last week along with Nuala Lawlor Canadian chargé d’affaires for what Khartoum presented as “interfering” in Sudan’s affairs. However, last Saturday Sudan invited the EU envoy back alleging that Louis Michel, the European development commissioner, had apologized to Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir.

Pronk said he was surprised by the move of the EU towards the Sudanese government. He argued that this apology will constitute a precedent in the relations between the EU and Sudan.

He also said that Sudanese have succeeded to divide the EU and Canada.

“What now has happened also is what exactly Sudanese do, divide and rule. They made division between Canada and the EU (…). It is a mistake and totally counterproductive.”

In tit-for-tat move, Canadian Foreign minister decided to expel a Sudanese diplomat from Ottawa. “Wherever they are posted, Canada’s diplomats will continue to work to uphold Canadian values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law,” he said.

The former envoy said that Sudan needs the EU for its humanitarian assistance and for its political support.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Karti said the two Western diplomats were considered as persona non grata because they contacted the security agencies over the detention of a leading member in the Democratic Unionist Party, Mahmoud Hassanein. He is arrested over an alleged coup attempt.

Karti further said “It is necessary now to send a clear message to whoever thinks that the kind of relationship between Sudan and the United Nations, and the international community in general, is that of submissiveness, complacence about the concepts or beliefs that the Westerners want the Sudanese Government to admit as fait accompli.”

(ST)