Sudan OKs plan for joint peacekeepers in Darfur – AU

June 12, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — Sudan on Tuesday accepted a revised plan for a joint African Union and United Nations peacekeeping force of between 17,000 to 19,000 troops in Darfur, a senior African Union official said.

“In view of the explanation and clarification provided by the AU and the U.N. as contained in the presentation, the government of Sudan accepted the joint proposals on the hybrid operation,” said Said Djinnit, the African Union’s top peace and security official.

The decisions made on Tuesday still have to be approved by the United Nations Security Council and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, Djinnit said.

He was reading to journalists a joint African Union, United Nations and Sudan statement after the two-day meeting.

“The participants further agreed on the need for an immediate comprehensive cease-fire accompanied by an inclusive political process,” Djinnit said, adding they called on countries to step up and quickly contribute troops and money toward the operation.

African Union, United Nations and Sudanese officials held a two-day meeting to discuss a force whose deployment would mark the final phase of a three-stage U.N. plan to bolster a poorly equipped and underfunded force of 7,000 AU peacekeepers, which has been unable to end four years of death and destruction in Darfur.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir agreed to the package in November, but stalled acceptance of the first two phases and has since backtracked on his approval. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Monday that al-Bashir told him he fully agreed to the proposed “hybrid” force but was adamant that all of the troops must come from Africa.

(AP)