Egyptian lawmakers urge support to Sudan

Dec 18, 2006 (CAIRO) — All Arab and Islamic countries should support the Sudanese people, especially in the western Sudanese region of Darfur, the Egyptian People’s Assembly said on Monday.

In a statement, the parliament’s Arab Affairs Committee urged the Arabs and Muslims to boost the Arab presence in Darfur and provide material and logistical assistance to the Sudanese government and the African Union (AU) to support refugees and displaced people from Darfur.

Meanwhile, the statement urged factions which did not sign a peace agreement with the Sudanese government to ink the peace deal.

Arab League chief Amr Musa met on Monday with EU envoy to Sudan Pekka Haavisto on the latest developments in Darfur.

Musa and Haavisto tackled means to put an end to violence in Darfur and convince those parties which did not sign the peace agreement to ink the deal.

On May 5, Khartoum and a main faction of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement signed a peace agreement in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

In 2004, the 7,800-strong AU peacekeeping force was formed in Darfur to monitor the implementation of a fragile ceasefire agreement signed by conflicting parties in the region.

The AU Peace and Security Council decided last month to extend the mandate of the African troops till June 30, 2007.

The UN Security Council has authorized an international force to replace the AU troops, but the idea was rejected by Khartoum.

(Xinhua)