Britain urges swift UN action on Sudan’s Darfur

June 15, 2006 (UNITED NATIONS) — The Security Council has “edged further” toward getting the Sudanese government to accept a a U.N. force, but could do more to promote peace and security in Darfur, Britain’s ambassador said Thursday.

After leading a Security Council delegation’s trip to Darfur, British Ambassador Emyr Jones-Parry gave a sobering account to his fellow diplomats about the complex and violent situation. He urged swift action to implement a recent peace agreement.

“For me, the argument is not whether we should be involved in Sudan and Darfur, but have we been able to do as much as we ought,” Jones-Parry said.

The primary purpose of the Security Council’s trip was to persuade the Sudanese government to accept a U.N. force in Darfur, he said. An underfunded African Union force now in the region has generally been unable to keep the peace there.

“By the end of our visit, the mission felt we had edged further toward the probability” of the government accepting a U.N. force, Jones-Parry said.

In beginning his report, Jones-Parry reminded the Security Council that nearly three years had passed since it began debate over whether to include Sudan on its agenda.

More than 180,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been forced from their homes since large-scale fighting broke out in Darfur in 2003.

Jones-Parry, who recommended increased security in the war-torn region, said the situation deteriorated this year with increased attacks on people, especially women, as more people were driven from their homes.

He also recommended other urgent action be taken, saying the Darfur Peace Agreement signed last month “is not perfect,” but as the only agreement reached needs to be “implemented robustly.”

Secretary-General Kofi Annan also stressed the importance of acting on the peace agreement.

“We need to maintain the pressure on those who have signed the agreement to live up to the agreement that they have signed,” Annan told reporters on Thursday. “That goes for the Sudanese government that has responsibility for the disarmament of the Janjaweed, and for the rebel groups, and to maintain the pressure on the two rebel groups that are outside the agreement to join the process.”

Jones-Parry advised the Security Council to look upon the issues in a regional context.

“Peace in Darfur is closely related to peace in Sudan, and in turn is vital for regional peace and security,” he said, adding that Sudan’s relations with Chad — which has been forced to absorb thousands of Darfur refugees — was also important to watch.

“The United Nations must be prepared to provide essential support until sustainable peace and development are achieved,” he said.

(ST/AP)