UN presence in Darfur is vital to civilians – EU

Oct 22, 2006 (BRUSSELS) — The European Union on Sunday criticized the Sudanese order to send the chief U.N. envoy out of the country, arguing the role of the United Nations was key to resolve the crisis in Darfur.

“The presence of the United Nations is vital to hundreds of thousands of citizens of the Darfur region,” said Amadeu Altafaj Tardio, a spokesman for the EU head office.

The order for U.N. envoy Jan Pronk to leave within three days will likely further complicate efforts to end the crisis in the strife-torn region of western Sudan, he said.

“The situation is deteriorating rapidly,” said Altafaj Tardio. “The U.N. has a key role to play which goes will beyond security and the current discussions on the U.N. deployment.”

Western powers have been trying to get Sudan to allow a U.N. force of 20,000 troops to take over peacekeeping in Darfur from a 7,000-member African Union force.

(AP)