Mubarak reasserted Egypt’s commitment to AU peace efforts

CAIRO, May 24, 2005 (Xinhua) — Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Tuesday reasserted Egypt’s commitment to supporting the peace efforts of the African Union (AU), especially in Sudan’s Darfur region, the official MENA news agency reported.

uring talks with visiting Chief of the AU Commission Alpha Omar Konare, Mubarak renewed his full support for all efforts aimed at containing the conflict in Darfur and promised to support the AU’s peace efforts in the African continent.

In a statement issued after the meeting, Konare noted that he will co-chair with United Nations Secretary General kofi Annan a meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Thursday to discuss means of extending relief assistance to the Darfur inhabitants.

He explained that a shaky security situation in Sudan will actually have a bad impact on the African security and stability, as Sudan is sharing borders with nine African countries.

The Egyptian People’s Assembly, the lower house of the parliament, approved on Monday a decision by Mubarak on sending peacekeeping forces to Darfur where 2,200 AU soldiers are monitoring a ceasefire between the rebel groups and militias.

The PA said under the request of the United Nations, Mubarak has proposed to send peacekeeping forces to Darfur for a period of six years, adding that Sudan’s security has much to do with Egypt’s security.