Sudan has no interest in destabilizing Chad – al-Bashir
April 16, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — The president Omar al-Bashir, has affirmed that Sudan has no interest at all in destabilizing peace and security in Chad, saying this will affect it Sudan negatively.
During his meeting yesterday with the assistant secretary-general for peacekeeping operations, Hedi Annabi and the UN secretary-general’s representative to Sudan, Jan Pronk, as well as the special representative of the AU commission, Baba Gana Kingibe, Al-Bashir reiterated Sudan’s commitment to its ties with Chad and its respect for neighbourliness.
He said Sudan was committed to the Tripoli agreement pointing out the fact that Chad did not send its representative to the security committee concerned with monitoring and controlling the border between the two countries had obstructed the steps towards implementing the agreement.
During the meeting, the president of the republic reiterated Sudan’s rejection of the transfer of the AU peacekeeping mission to the UN. He said the government, parliament and the people of Sudan were committed to this issue.
In this regard, the UN deputy secretary-general for peacekeeping affirmed that the mission of the AU forces to the UN forces will not be transferred unless the Sudanese government agreed.
In this vain, the Chadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially notified the Sudanese charge d’affaires in Chad about its unilateral decision to cut diplomatic ties with Sudan. He [Sudanese charge d’affaires] was given five days to leave Ndjamena.
The official spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Jamal Muhammad Ibrahim, expressed Sudan’s regret at this hasty decision which is not based on substantial facts. He reaffirmed that Sudan had no connection with what was taking place in Chad.
Concerning the issue of Chad announcing that it would expel Sudanese refugees from its lands, Ambassador Jamal said this was regrettable and did not consider the humanitarian implication and international conventions on refugees and immigrants.
In the same vain, Washington has warned Chad against expelling 200,000 Sudanese refugees in response to the charges Khartoum was supporting the attack launched by Chadian rebels in Ndjamena.
The spokesman of the US State Department urged the Chadian government to take its responsibility as specified by the UN.
The spokesman said the USA was concerned about Ndjamena’s decision to cut diplomatic ties with Khartoum and the closure of the borders between the two countries.
(ST)