Russia appeals to Annan to help solve Sudan chopper dispute

MOSCOW, July 29 (AFP) — Russia on Tuesday appealed to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to persuade Sudan to release a Russian Mi-26 helicopter and its crew that were detained by the Sudanese authorities last week.

The giant helicopter and its 13-member crew, which were ordered to land on Sudanese territory and captured Thursday, were heading to the Democratic Republic of Congo on a UN mission, the Russian foreign ministry said.

Sudan’s Media Center, an independent agency, said authorities suspected the helicopter was transporting arms for the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), rebels from Sudan’s Darfur region who since February have clashed with government troops.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov raised the dispute during a telephone conversation with Annan on Tuesday, the ministry said in a statement.

It said the two men “agreed in principle to coordinate their actions in resolving this incident.”

Sudan’s state-run Omdurman Radio said the helicopter was detained due to suspicions over its itinerary and charged it was sent to be used to evacuate hundreds of rebels wounded in clashes with the army in North Darfur.

The radio said a detailed map of Darfur was found on the helicopter, which it said was brought in by “hostile groups”.