Sudan says any UN forces in Darfur will be under African command
By Wasil Ali
April 19, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese president Omar Hassan al-Bashir denied reports that his country accepted 3,000 UN troops in Darfur. Al-Bashir told a US press delegation yesterday that his government has only agreed to a “supporting force of UN technicians and engineers”. Sudan’s leader stressed that the “troop [UN] command will be in the hands of the African Union”.
Sudan on Monday agreed to let 3,000 UN personnel plus helicopters into Darfur to support under-equipped African Union forces trying to stabilize the region as part of the AU-UN hybrid force. US & UK have expressed skepticism regarding Khartoum’s decision saying that Sudan has a history of backtracking on the commitments it make.
Al-Bashir accused western nations of seeking to take over his country’s resources. He added that the west is plotting against his country because they are not “bowing to their wishes”.
The statement made by al-Bashir is the latest in a series of contradictory interpretations by Sudanese officials of the heavy support package. Sudan’s Ambassador to the UN Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem told reporters on Monday that “according to the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA), there is no provision for the UN in any way” and went on to say that the “the command is fully for the African leader of the African commander and African forces.’
However the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Jean-Marie Guéhenno told reporters that “our agreement [with Sudan] is quite clear” and that the “command and control structures will be provided by the UN”.
The UN will hold a meeting on Friday with countries that are willing to provide troops for the heavy support package. It is not clear however if African nations are able to come up with the numbers needed to finalize the package. Sudan has said it will reject any non-African troops in Darfur.
(ST)