Khartoum willing to accept more observers

By Andrew England, Gillian Tett and David White

NAIROBI/LONDON, Sep 4, 2004 (Financial Times) — The Sudanese government would be willing to accept more foreign observers in the Darfur region if it were convinced the monitors would help the situation, Mustafa Osman Ismail, Sudan’s foreign minister, said yesterday.

He told the Financial Times in a telephone interview that the government was prepared to discuss anything “that could help improve the situation and the building of confidence”.

His remarks appeared to indicate increased flexibility as United Nations Security Council members ponder whether the government has done enough to protect civilians.

The African Union has about 120 observers and a 300-strong protection force in Darfur. Jan Pronk, UN special envoy, has said thousands more are needed.

The AU has been considering ways of transforming the protection force into a fully fledged peacekeeping mission, but Sudanese officials have previously expressed reluctance to accept more troops. Mr Ismail said if a plan were put forward, “I would discuss it”.

International lobby groups yesterday called for firmer UN action, in the expectation that the Security Council would stop short of imposing immediate sanctions following the expiry of a 30-day deadline for curbing pro-government Janjaweed militias.

Richard Holbrooke, the veteran US diplomat seen as a possible secretary of state if John Kerry wins the presidential election, said the Sudanese government had “not been put under nearly enough pressure” to stop supporting the Janjaweed.

“Unless the political issues are addressed, we will face a bottomless humanitarian problem,” he said.