Sudanese presidential assistant to visit Japan for talks on Darfur

February 28, 2008 (TOKYO) — Sudanese presidential assistant will visit Tokyo next week for talks with Japanese official on Darfur crisis, the foreign ministry said.

Nafi Ali Nafi, who is also the Sudan’s top negotiator for Darfur peace negotiations, will begin a six-day visit to the Japanese capital for talks with the foreign minister Masahiko Komura and other Japanese officials on Darfur.

Japan hopes that dialogue will help strengthen efforts to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Darfur as well as the North-South peace process in Sudan. At the talks, Tokyo will also call on Sudan to exercise self-restraint and engage in dialogue with neighboring Chad to resolve their conflict, the ministry said.

The Japanese officials are expected to urge Sudan for swift resolution of Darfur crisis s part of efforts to engage their country in cooperation for international peace.

Tokyo said last weeks considering to dispatch peacekeepers from its national army Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to participate in U.N. peacekeeping operations in South Sudan as early as from June.

Japan hoped to raise the Darfur issue when it hosts the summit of the Group of Eight major industrial countries in July.

Japan also plans to host a conference on African development in May ahead of the summit of the Group of Eight, which groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States.

(ST)