Sudan is open for talks over UN role in Darfur – FM

May 18, 2006 (MOSCOW) — Sudan is open to discussing a role for the United Nations in bringing peace to the troubled Darfur region following a recent peace accord, Sudanese Foreign Minister Lam Akol said Thursday.

“The conclusion of a peace agreement created a new situation,” said Akol.

“The agreement made no mention of any group of countries or organisation except the African Union. But we, as representatives of the Sudanese government, are ready for dialogue with the United Nations about the role they could play in Sudan,” Akol told a news conference during a visit to Moscow.

The UN Security Council has been pressing for UN peacekeepers to take over from an embattled contingent of African Union troops in Darfur since the signing of a peace agreement in Abuja earlier this month.

Meeting Akol on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the possible transformation of the peacekeeping mission into that of the UN “must take place with the agreement of the Sudanese government and the African Union”.

Akol’s visit was aimed at strengthening political and economic ties with Russia, which is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and has had friendly relations with Sudan.

(ST)