Political leader call for bigger role of Arab League in Darfur

Oct 8, 2006 (CAIRO) — Mohamed Osman al-Mirghani, the Sudanese Democratic Unionist Party leader, on Sunday called on the Arab League to play a bigger role in unifying the Sudanese people in order to realize development.

In statements to reporters following his meeting with Arab League Secretary-General Amr Musa, Al-Mirghani urged all the Sudanese people to stand closer together at such critical circumstances the country is going through.

He said his meeting with Musa fell within the framework of consultations on Sudanese issues, especially that the League is shouldering a great responsibility in terms of efforts to realize stability in the country.

As for the situation in Darfur, he voiced hope that a conference on Darfur would be held in cooperation with the African Union and the Arab League.

Arab League Secretary-General Amr Musa said that intensive efforts are being made to reach a solution to the Sudanese Darfur problem over the coming three months, until late December.

Answering a question as to whether deployment of Arab and African troops under the UN banner would constitute a solution to the problem and differences between the UN and Sudan, Musa said the participation of any Arab or Islamic troops in Darfur should take place in an African context under the African Union banner.

(ST)