Russia hails Sudan, UN deal on peacekeeping in Darfur
June 18, 2007 MOSCOW) — Moscow welcomes an agreement between Sudan and the United Nations to allow a joint peacekeeping force of the UN and the African Union to be deployed in war-torn Darfur, the Foreign Ministry said Monday.
The United Nations Security Council and the Sudanese government held talks Sunday in Khartoum, at which Sudan agreed to allow around 20,000 troops to maintain peace in Darfur, but insisted that the force be controlled by the 53-member African Union.
The Foreign Ministry’s statement said: “We [Russia] view the agreement between the UN and Khartoum as a positive factor in the Darfur settlement. We have always stood for constructive dialogue between the UN and the African Union on the one side, and Khartoum on the other, on all aspects of international peacekeeping.”
The ministry also said Moscow hopes the peacekeeping operation in Darfur will help improve not only security in the western Sudanese province, but also the political process of the Darfur settlement, and the grave humanitarian situation.
In March 2007, the UN mission accused Sudan’s government of orchestrating and taking part in “gross violations” in Darfur, and called for urgent international action to protect civilians.
According to UN estimates, inter-ethnic violence and disease have left 450,000 dead since the conflict began in February 2003, mostly among farming tribes, from which rebel groups fighting the central government in Khartoum draw their numbers.
Armed militias known as ‘Janjaweed’ which the Sudanese government denies supporting and who continue to attack civilians, are largely nomadic Arabs, and have been involved in violent battles with farmers over land ownership.
(RIA Novosti)