Sudan rejects deployment of foreign troops in Darfur – official

March 11, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — A senior Sudanese government official said here on Sunday that his country would not relinquish its inalienable principle rejecting the deployment of foreign troops in Darfur.

Sudanese Minister of Justice Mohammed Ali al-Mardi made the remarks in a pre-departure statement when he left here in the day for Geneva on a several days’ visit to Switzerland.

Al-Mardi noted that his country would not be intimidated by the threats to impose sanctions on Sudan.

As for his trip to Switzerland, Al-Mardi said that he would attend in Geneva the fourth session of the Human Rights Council to express Khartoum’s rejection of the way a fact-finding committee on Darfur was formed.

The formation of the committee was made without consulting regional blocs in the council and included members who had prejudiced alleged human rights violations in Sudan, he added.

Al-Mardi also said that Khartoum would not send any of its nationals before the international tribunal outside Sudan.

(Xinhua)