EU warning ahead of Darfur talks
Mar 7, 2006 (BRUSSELS) — The European Union called Tuesday for efforts to be urgently stepped up to ease the unrelenting Darfur conflict, warning ahead of high-level talks that unrest-torn Sudan is at a “crossroads.”
EU foreign policy chief Solana will host talks in Brussels Wednesday with the African Union, the United States, the United Nations and Sudan Deputy President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, ahead of more talks in Paris Thursday.
As well as the continuing violence in Darfur they will also discuss problems with a North-South peace agreement, in particular discord over oil revenues, as well as relations between Sudan and Chad.
“We are going tomorrow to get very serious on Sudan,” said Solana on the eve of the talks.
“Peace in the whole of Sudan is vital, not only for this big country — the biggest in Africa — but also for the entire African continent and the Arab world,” he added.
A January 2005 peace deal between the Khartoum regime and southern rebels paved the way for a new power-sharing constitution with clauses protecting human rights.
But the United Nations has voiced disappointment that the accord has not led to changes in the everyday lives of Sudanese people.
Meanwhile the conflict in Darfur between rebels and militias backed by Sudanese government troops has killed some 300,000 people and displaced two million others since 2003.
The UN has called on Europe to consider stepping in should any new force be sent to Sudan’s troubled Darfur region to help African troops stationed there.
The African Union sent troops there in 2004 — a force which now numbers around 7,000 personnel — but the mission has suffered from poor funding and has struggled to contain the violence.
EU Humanitarian Aid and Development Commissioner Louis Michel echoed Solana’s call, voicing concern about the slow progress of Darfur peace talks held in the Nigerian capital Abuja.
“The Sudanese and the international community are at a crossroad. The continuing conflict in Darfur threatens the stability of Sudan and of the whole region,” he said.
“The sufferings of the civilian population are immense. We must act and we must act now.”
Solana, noting that the 25-nation EU currently funds about 60 percent of the African Union peacekeeping mission, said Europe is willing to give more help but is reluctant to put boots on the ground.
“It is very logical that the bulk of the force will also be African. That’s what the Africans want,” he said, speaking in the sidelines of an informal meeting of EU defence ministers in Innsbruck, Austria.
“That doesn’t mean that we will not use for instance, strategic lift, transport of forces, help with logistics, help with some elements of communication — whatever is not really putting forces on the ground.”
“I am sure that the Africans would prefer to do it themselves.”
Wednesday’s Brussels talks will involve the EU officials as well as African Union chief Alpha Oumar Konare, US Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick and UN Assistant Secretary General Hedi Annabi.
On Thursday the World Bank will host talks in Paris to discuss the financial needs caused by the conflicts in Sudan.
(ST/AFP)