Sudan has no interest to provoke conflict with UN over Darfur – US Zoellik
Mar 9, 2006 (PARIS) — U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick said Sudanese government has no interest to provoke conflict with the United Nations on the issue of the International force for Sudan’s troubled Darfur region.
Zoellic who attended the second Donors conference for the South Sudan construction organised by the World Bank here told the press that International community has no time to waste. African Union force can’t implement ceasefire agreement and stop violence.
He called the African Union Security Council to back the deployment of UN peacekeeping force in Darfur region.
African foreign ministers are due to decide tomorrow whether to ask the United Nations to take control of their 7,000- peacekeeping force in Darfur, where 2 million people have been driven from their homes into camps by rape, killing and looting.
Asked whether Khartoum opposition to UN takeover for peacekeeping operations in Darfur will stop the UN efforts to bring international force to Darfur, Zoellick said that he tackled the issue with Sudanese second vice-president Ali Osman Taha yesterday in Brussels. Talah indicated according to him that Sudan has no problem with the UN.
“I know there has been anxiety in some quarters about the nature of a UN force,” Zoellick said. “We would envision this building on the African Union force, which we can make stronger, and we believe there can be some other African and Asian components to it.” He said.
According to Reuters Taha said from Brussels that Khartoum could consider an unspecified U.N. role if talks with rebels being held in the Nigerian capital Abuja yielded a deal to resolve the conflict.
Zoellick further said Darfur remains in crisis and there is a need for security and food in the region. AU force should be strengthened by additional help from the NATO in logistics, training and support.
Furthermore there is no contradiction between the International force and Abuja talks. Even after the conclusion of peace agreement, we need a security force there to help peace settlement in Darfur said Zoellick.
He indicated that the International force in Darfur should be leaded by an African commander.
Zoellick repeated that International action was needed urgently to help people in Darfur but there could be a link between UN involvement in the region and the Abuja peace talks.
The issue would be discussed with the AU top mediator Salim Ahmed Salim, Zoellick said.
The continuing conflict in Darfur has frustrated international donors and thwarted development progress. Three years of violence in the large region of western Sudan has left some 3000,000 dead – most from disease and hunger.
(ST)