Sudan, AU, UN to establish Darfur committee
Nov 11, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan and the United Nations on Saturday agreed to set up a tripartite committee to study ways of providing supports to strengthen the African Union forces in Sudan ‘s western region of Darfur.
Sudanese government and the United Nations have agreed on formation of a tripartite committee with the African Union to review UN support to AU forces in Darfur, besides the exchange of information and facilitating the implementation of this package.
The Foreign Minister, Lam Akol, met on Saturday the Assistant Secretary General for Peace – keeping affairs, Hadi Annabi, and assured of Sudan firm stance toward the Security Council resolution 1706, indicating that Sudan will only accept discussion on the alternatives for this resolution.
Akol further said that the UN and the AU are needed to support in the implementation of Darfur peace agreement, adding that the agreement requires the signing of the peace agreement by all parties.
The Assistant UN Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operation said he discussed with Akol the situation in Darfur and aspects of UN support to the peace process and the international organization’s package of support to the African Union.
Annabi said he will participate in a meeting in Addis Ababa between representatives of the African Union, the United Nations and Sudan government. He said that he is holding a message based on the UN desire to back up the peace process and realization of security in Darfur, in collaboration with Sudan government.
The spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry, Ali Al-Saddiq, said that Akol and Hadi Annabi have discussed a number of issues, including the situation of the African Union mission and ways to support it.
He said that the Foreign Minister affirmed to the UN official that the United Nations is not entitled to bring international forces without consent of Sudan government.
Al-Saddiq said that Akol affirmed the importance of support to the AU peacekeeping forces so as to carry out its mission in Darfur.
He pointed out that the two parties agreed on the importance of support to the political process and the dialogue between all the concerned parties in Darfur issue on ground that the political solution is the best for Darfur problem.
Meanwhile, the ministry’s spokesperson said that the talks between Akol and Al-Hadi Annabi was mainly focused on the package of UN support to the African Union mission, adding that the Foreign Minister and the UN official agreed on the importance of implementing this package as soon as possible.
Al-Saddiq indicated that Akol and Hadi Annabi also reviewed the situation at Sudan’s border with Chad and the Central African Republic, adding that Annabi stated the UN will send an assessment team to the border areas between the three countries and the displaced people camps to prepare reports and recommendations in this regard.
(ST)