US Congress members urge Arab pressure on Sudan

Oct 12, 2006 (CAIRO) — Members of the U.S. Congress urged Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa to encourage the Sudan to accept the deployment of U.N. peacekeepers in its war-torn Darfur region, the Arab body said on Thursday.

The Arab League said in a statement members of Congress had signed a letter sent to Moussa in which they supported the Arab states’ pledge to fund the African Union (AU) mission in Darfur but only as a temporary measure before a U.N. force takes over.

“We … ask you to use your authority to employ all diplomatic means available to encourage President Omar Hassan al-Bashir to halt Sudan’s military offensive in North Darfur, withdraw Sudanese troops from the area, and accept U.N. peacekeepers,” said a copy of the letter, signed by 174 members of Congress and obtained by Reuters.

Sudan is under heightened pressure to accept a 20,000-strong U.N. force in Darfur as demanded by a U.N. Security Council resolution to stop the conflict that has killed more than 200,000 people and forced millions to flee their homes.

Bashir has likened the U.N. military presence to an invasion force but has welcomed the world body’s logistical and financial support to the 7,000-strong AU force in Darfur.

The letter was authored by U.S. Representative Chris Smith, a Republican who chairs the House International Relations’ subcommittee on Africa, global human rights and international operations.

The AU agreed in September to extend its mission in Darfur until December 31, with logistical and material support from the United Nations and funding from Arab states but the congressmen voiced concern that no Arab nation had fulfilled its pledge to support the African force.

An Arab League spokesman told Reuters that as of Thursday, only Qatar had contributed.

(Reuters)