Sudan officially reiterates its commitment to Darfur peacekeepers

July 27, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan has reiterated its firm commitment to the signed deal with regard to the peacekeeping operation in the troubled region of Darfur, dismissing statements by some official of the possible expulsion of this mission.

Foreign Minister Deng Alor met on Sunday with the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in Sudan, Ashraf Qazi. During the meeting he reaffirmed the firm stance of the Sudanese government with regard to the concluded agreement with the international organisation in connection with the Hybrid Operation.

Qazi met Alor after statements made by the presidential adviser Bona Malwal about the improbable future presence of the hybrid peacekeeping forces if the Sudanese president indicted by the International Criminal Court judges following a request filed by the prosecutor for an arrest warrant against him on July 14.

Alor told the reporters that U.N. envoy stressed the importance of cooperation between the government and the UN mission despite the strained relations between Sudan and the international community in connection with the criminal court’s decision. Qazi also said that Sudan must be commitment to the signed agreements on the hybrid forces, according to the Sudanese top diplomat

Bona Malwal’s statements raised alarm that Sudanese government could expel the hybrid troops from Darfur in retaliation to the ICC indictment of the Sudanese president. Many countries also feared and expected the move.

But a top official close to the president and who is in charge with the UNAMID file since yesterday issued statements to reassure the international community and deny the misguided statements of the presidential adviser in Addis Ababa while he was in mission to raise the support of the African leaders for the Sudanese president.

“The visit of the president Omer Hassan al-Bashir, to the UNAMID headquarters in Darfur State proves that the government appreciates the efforts being made by the peacekeeping forces and gave important indication that there were no trend to expel them,” said Mutrif Sidiq, the undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday.

(ST)