Sudan reiterates its rejection of UN Pronk

Oct 29, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan reiterated on Saturday its refusal to give up the decision of expelling Jan Pronk, the special representative of the United Nations’ (UN) Secretary General Koffi Annan to Sudan.

Nafie Ali Nafie, the Sudanese presidential assistant and the vice chairman of the ruling National Congress Party, told reporters that the government’s decision of expelling Pronk was “a final decision which could not be withdrawn.”

He, however, said that Pronk could return to Khartoum for the purpose of handing over his files but not in the capacity of the UN envoy.

The spokesman said this in response to a request from United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.

“Annan asked the government to allow Jan Pronk to stay in Sudanfor only few days to collect his personal effects and then depart the country once for all,” said Nafie.

The request was under study, revealed Nafie, adding that the request showed UN’s recognition and respect of Sudan’s decision onterminating the mission of Pronk in the country.

The Sudanese government notified the UN in a letter to Annan last Sunday that Pronk’s job in Sudan was terminated and that he was given three days to leave the country.

Pronk was ordered out after publishing comments on his personalWeb site that the Sudanese army lost two major battles to rebels in the troubled Darfur region and morale was low.

However, UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in New York on Friday that Annan had confirmed that Jan Pronk would continue to serve as his special representative in Sudan until the end of the year, when his contract is set to expire.

(Xinhua)