UN to take Darfur peacekeeping role after peace deal

Mar 10, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — Sudan’s government agreed Friday U.N. peacekeepers can come to Darfur, but only after it reaches a peace deal with the region’s rebels.

Sudan had been fiercely opposed to a proposal – backed by the U.S. and Europe – to transform the beleaguered AU force now in Darfur into a U.N. force.

But Sudanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Lam Akol emerged from an AU foreign ministers meeting on the question Friday to say his government would support the transition to the U.N. after a peace deal has been reached with all the Darfur rebel groups.

Taye Zerihon, the deputy U.N. representative to the AU, stood alongside Akol at a briefing for reporters and said: “It looks like a transfer will happen at the appropriate time.”

He said the U.N. may need up to nine months to prepare a mission to Darfur and added he will advise U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan to begin contingency planning.

(ST/AP)