Sudan, UN sign agreement on status of peacekeeping forces

Dec 28, 2005 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese government and the UN mission in Sudan signed here Wednesday agreement on the status of UN forces charged of the support of peace implementation in the country.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Karti signed on behalf of the Sudanese side, while deputy UN Secretary-General Special Representative in Sudan Emanuel Da Salva signed on behalf of the international organization, the state-run SUNA reported.

Karti said the agreement covers the status of the forces to enable them to carry out their tasks without affecting the sovereignty of the country and without impeding these tasks, pointing out that it deals with issues of passports and migration, customs exemptions and immunities for these forces within the limits of fulfilling their duties.

The deputy UN Secretary-General Special Representative in Sudan, on his part, welcomed the agreement, pointing out that the UN has deployed a mission in Sudan to support the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). He pointed out that the agreement determines the responsibilities of the UN mission as the guest of the government and that of the host country towards the mission.

He affirmed the commitment of the international organization to the implementation of the agreement. He said the UN is honoured to support the process of the implementation of the CPA, which is progressing in steady steps, expressing his pleasure over the signing of the agreement before the end of the year and the celebrations marking the first anniversary of the CPA.

(ST)