Sudan’s AU presidency contradicts with Darfur peacekeeping – US

Jan 25, 2007 (WASHINGTON) — The State Department acknowledged on Thursday there was a contradiction between the election of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir as chairman of the 53-nation African Union at a time when AU peacekeepers were in Sudan to protect Darfur’s citizens from their own government

Under the AU’s rotating chairmanship, it is Sudan’s turn to fill that position when the issue is formally decided at a summit meeting in Ethiopia at the end of the month.

Despite the contradiction, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States is not opposing al-Bashir’s candidacy.

It is up to the AU members to deal with it, he said.

Al-Bashir was to have been elected last year but, under a compromise, he stepped aside, allowing Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou-Nguesso to assume the chairmanship.

The compromise calls for al-Bashir to assume those duties after this year’s election.

Some 7,000 AU troops are serving in Darfur, in part to defend citizens there against attacks by government forces or by militias supported by the government.

(AP)