Sudan reiterates rejection to international forces

By Wasil Ali

Jan 30, 2007 (AL FASHER) — Presidential adviser Nafie Ali Nafie yesterday reiterated Sudan’s rejection of any international peacekeeping forces in the war-torn Darfur region.

Addressing a crowd on Monday 29 November in al-Fasher, the Sudanese official warned the international community of what he called attempts to circumvent and bypass the communique between UN and Sudan signed in Addis Ababa on the support package. Nafi brushed aside any efforts to deploy foreign troops in Darfur as part of phase 3 of the UN plan.

The African Union, Sudan and the United Nations agreed on 16 November to deploy a hybrid peacekeeping force in Darfur. Nonetheless, Khartoum insists on the African character of this force and didn’t give its consent on the number of the peacekeepers.

Nafie also blasted neighboring countries, which he did not identify, and warned them to refrain from being a gate for new colonialism. Sudan’s relationship with Libya has sharply deteriorated over the last few months and reached its peak when Tripoli asked Khartoum not run for African Union presidency.

(ST)