Russia pledges continuing support for Darfur settlement
May 9, 2006 (UNITED NATIONS) — Russia intends to continue assisting the political settlement in Darfur, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, speaking at a meeting of the UN Security Council on Sudan.
“The Russian Federation will continue to offer every possible assistance in consolidating the political settlement on Darfur in the interests of Sudan’s unity and territorial integrity and peace in the region. Russian peacekeepers will also make their contribution to the UN’s efforts to promote stability,” Lavrov said.
He noted that Moscow was pleased by the signing of a peace agreement between the national unity government and the main faction of Sudan Liberation Movement in Abuja, the RIA Novosti reported.
“For the Darfur peace process to become truly irreversible, all the participants in the Abuja talks had to use this historical chance and subscribe to the comprehensive agreement,” the Russian minister said.
According to him, the move towards a political settlement in Darfur should help change the critical humanitarian situation in the region, where hundreds of thousands of people are only just managing to survive.
(ST)