Bush presses Chirac on NATO involvement in Darfur

Feb 22, 2006 (WASHINGTON) — President George W. Bush on Wednesday told French President Jacques Chirac that NATO should take a more active role in international efforts to stop the bloodshed in Sudan’s Darfur region, the White House said.

In a 30-minute conversation initiated by Chirac, Bush “raised his concern about the deteriorating situation in Darfur and his view that NATO should be more actively involved in a robust international response to this crisis,” Frederick Jones, spokesman for the White House national security council said.

Bush last week said NATO should have an organizational role and there should be double the number of international peacekeepers for Darfur.

The conflict in Darfur began when non-Arab rebels took up arms in early 2003, accusing the government of neglect and repression. Since then, tens of thousands of Sudanese have been killed and more than 2 million have been driven from their homes and herded into grim camps.

Jones said the two leaders also discussed Chirac’s recent visit to India and developments in Syria and Lebanon, Jones said. “They stressed their common commitment to ensuring that Syria abide by U.N. resolution pertaining to Lebanon.”

Bush will visit India and Pakistan next month.

(Reuters)