Sudan still has reservation over Darfur hybrid force – China
April 11, 2007 (BEIJING) — Zhai Jun, assistant foreign minister who had just concluded a visit to Sudan as the Chinese government special envoy, said in Beijing that Sudan has agreed, in principle, to the three-phase plan to support African forces in Darfur but still had reservations on some details regarding to the candidate for the commander of the hybrid peacekeeping force and the scale of the mixed peacekeeping force.
Explaining his visit to Sudan at a news briefing for Chinese and foreign media, Zhai Jun said that Sudanese government has agreed, in principle, Annan’s three-phase proposal but still had reservations on some details, the state run Xinhua reported in Chinese language.
Sudan had forwarded its reservations to the Summit of the African Union (AU) and African Peace and Security Council (APSC) in Abuja for discussion. Hence, the summit issued a special communiqué while the UN Security Council issued a chairmanship statement of approval.
Zhai Jun said, on the issue of the candidate for the commander of the mixed peacekeeping mission, the Sudanese government has maintained that the position should be filled by an African national. According to the press, the Sudanese side and the AU have decided, after discussion, that a Nigerian should be appointed as the commander. The Sudanese side has hoped that the scale of the hybrid force will be proposed by the field commander based on actual conditions and decided by the tripartite consultation mechanism of Sudan, the AU, and the United Nations.
Zhai Jun further added: Sudan wants that the international community will push forward the political process of the Darfur issue, and opposed hasty arrangements for peacekeeping operations without any progress achieved in the political process.
The Sudanese side appeals to the international community to implement the Annan proposal step by step through consultations and in accordance with the relevant contents in the communiqué adopted by the AU-APSC Summit and the UN Security Council’s chairmanship statement. It is hoped that the international community will listen to the Sudanese side’s opinion and legitimate concern and have dialogue with the Sudanese site on an equal footing.
According to Zhai Jun, the “Darfur Peace Agreement,” the AU-APSC Summit communique, and the Security Council’s chairmanship statement have formed the political foundation for solving the Darfur issue. Recently the Sudanese government, the United Nations, and the AU basically reached consensus on the “heavy-support proposal” in the second phase of the Annan proposal.
Zhai Jun paid a four-day visit to Sudan beginning 6 April. During the visit, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir met with Zhai Jun. He also visited the Darfur region and met with the governors of North and South Darfur States and other local officials. He toured three refugee camps and attended discussions with representatives from various local circles and refugees.
Zhai Jun said his overall impression that the current situation in the Darfur region is basically stable. Operations of the local government organizations are normal; management of the refugee camps is in good hand; sanitation conditions are good; and refugees’ basic livelihood is guaranteed. International humanitarian relief organizations have carried out conspicuously relief activities in the refugee camps.
According to the Chinese envoy that major problems at the present are: first, there are too many refugees; and second, sporadic armed conflicts still take place between the opposition groups and become the main factor affecting local security and stability.
(Xinhua/ translated by BBCMS)