Darfur rebel leader urges world to remain cautious on hybrid force deal

June 12, 2007 (LONDON) — Darfur rebel leader has expressed doubts over Sudan’s acceptance of the joint African Union-UN force for Darfur, he further urged international community to remain cautious.

Abdelwahid al-Nur, the leader of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement told Sudan Tribune that world should remain cautious on Sudan’s acceptance of the hybrid forces and to keep pressures on Khartoum for full implementation of Addis Ababa agreement.

Al-Nur Pointed out that Sudanese government had previously reneged on commitments about accepting such agreement. “They are used every time they feel huge pressure to sign deal but after they do not apply it.” Al-Nur said.

The Sudanese government had “accepted the joint proposals of the hybrid operation” and that delegates at AU-Un Sudan talks in Addis Ababa today had agreed on the need for a comprehensive ceasefire accompanied by an inclusive political process.

The rebel leader, who requests deployment of international troops as a condition for the peace talks, hailed efforts by the international community for the protection of Darfur civilians. However, he said “this regime is not credible and world should remain vigilant on the implementation of the Hybrid Operation”.

The agreed hybrid force comes in the framework of a three phases plan agreed on November 16, 2006 in a tripartite meeting between AU, UN and Sudan. Since, Sudan had objected many times demanding to reduce the number of the forces, refusing to accept military planes to transport the troops and opposing participation of UN troops saying it is contrary to the Darfur Peace Agreement.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad, casting new doubts on the deal, said it was still unclear whether Sudan had definitely agreed to non-African troops.

“If it (Sudan’s acceptance) is conditional, as we hear, that there will be only African troops involved and no non-Africans, that would be putting a condition on the acceptance — and that would be unacceptable,” Khalilzad said in New York.

U.N. sanctions would still be on the table if it appeared later that Sudan’s acceptance was conditional, he said.

(ST)