European Union urges immediate Darfur ceasefire

August 9, 2007 (BRUSSELS) — The European Union on Thursday called for an immediate ceasefire in Darfur and urged the Sudanese government and rebel groups to support an international peace process.

A statement from the Portuguese EU presidency called an agreement among rebel groups on a common negotiating position a crucial step towards final peace talks in 2-3 months and warned the EU would back consideration of unspecified measures against any party that obstructed the process.

“The EU strongly underlines and recalls the need for full and unconditional cessation of hostilities as well as for immediate implementation of the ceasefire which must be respected by all parties,” the statement said.

It said unhindered access by humanitarian organisations remained a basic demand of the international community and added: “The European Union will support consideration of measures against any party that obstructs the AU/UN-led political process, notably in the U.N. framework.”

The European Union has used the term further measures in statements about Sudan to refer to sanctions.

The statement said the European Union was ready to consider ways to assist a 26,000-strong U.N.-African Union peacekeeping force agreed for Darfur and urged those interested in doing so to clearly demonstrate their commitment.

It said the European Union also stood ready to assist economic reconstruction. “The EU is ready to focus substantial attention upon the recovery and development of Darfur and Sudan as a whole,” the statement said.

Early this week, Darfur rebel factions agreed on a common negotiating position for talks with the Sudanese government within months, international mediators said.

Experts estimate 200,000 people have died in a four-year conflict since mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in Darfur, accusing the government in Khartoum of neglecting the region.

The government mobilised mostly Arab militias to quell the revolt.

(Reuters)