Chad apology not enough – Sudanese official

April 11, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — A top Sudanese official said Wednesday that Chad’s apology for crossing into Sudanese territory in pursuit of rebels, leading to deadly border clashes was not enough.

“Apologies are not enough… there must be guarantees that such an aggression should not take place in the future,” Foreign Under Secretary Mutref Sikkeik told Sudan Television.

“Some of our troops and civilians have been killed or injured and property of civilians has been looted… We cannot be satisfied with apologies and we will therefore lodge a complaint against Chad with the UN and other regional organisations,” Siddeik said.

Defence Minister Abdelrahim Mohamed Hussein vowed that his armed forces were capable of “protecting the country and taking all measures for repulsing any aggression.”

Speaking at the National Assembly, Hussein accused Chad of harbouring and training Darfur rebel movements.

Sudan said 17 of its soldiers were killed in the fighting on Monday. Chadian officials said 30 were killed on both sides after its forces pursued rebels across the border and ran into regular Sudanese troops.

A senior Chadian foreign ministry official told AFP on condition of anonymity that Foreign Minister Ahmat Allami had received Sudanese ambassador Abdallah Acheikh in N’Djamena and “expressed the regrets of the Chadian government over the incident.”

But Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir had a more toned-down approach, saying he was counting on South African mediation to help contain tensions with Chad.

Beshir, speaking after talks with South African President Thabo Mbeki who often plays a peacemaking role, said Mbeki was in touch with Chadian officials to help build bridges.

Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi was to send an envoy, Abdelsalem Triki, to Sudan and Chad on Wednesday for talks aimed at easing tensions between the two countries.

(AFP)