Sudan FM asks Kadhafi to step up involvement in Darfur crisis

TRIPOLI, Aug 17 (AFP) — Sudan asked Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi Tuesday to “intervene personally” in the escalating crisis in Darfur, Libya’s official JANA news agency reported.

Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail delivered the request from President Omar al-Beshir at a meeting with Kadhafi in the central town of Sirte, the news agency said.

“President Beshir is pleased with Colonel Kadhafi’s opposition to foreign intervention in Darfur and asks him to help settle the crisis in the region and assist in the repatriation of refugees,” JANA quoted Ismail as saying.

African Union-sponsored peace talks between the Sudanese government and the Darfur rebels are supposed to be taking place in Nigeria next Monday.

But last week, Libya hosted informal talks in Sirte which brought together Khartoum and the two Darfur rebel movements as well as representatives of the African Union and neighbouring Chad, which hosts the lion’s share of Darfur refugees.

At the time, a Chadian source expressed concern Libya might be trying to seize a bigger role in the peace process.

“We are afraid it will be taken over by Kadhafi at the expense of the African Union,” the diplomat said.

Libyan has strongly opposed foreign intervention in Darfur warning last week that it could spark another Iraq-style conflict.