France, Sudan discuss Chad and Darfur

January 17, 2008 (KHARTOUM) –- Sudanese Foreign Minister and the French Ambassador to Sudan discussed today the issue of the Sudanese children abducted by a French charity group and the tension between Sudan and Chad.

France has been mentioned in different press reports as supporter of the Chadian government in its multiple incursions to strike rebel groups inside the Sudanese territory. Also the issue of Sudanese children kidnapped by a French charity group had contributed to create a latent misunderstanding between the two countries.

Sudan’s foreign minister, Deng Alor, discussed with the French Ambassador, Christine Robichon, the tension between Sudan and Chad and the ongoing efforts to diffuse it as well as to prevent the escalation of the conflict.

The Sudanese Defence Minister, Abdelrahim Hussein, in a closed door briefing, gave the federal parliament the details of Chadian army attacks inside the country and told the lawmakers that Sudan is preparing a “very good news”. He also said that the army is ready to attack but the decision is a political one.

France and Chad are signatories of military cooperation and defence deal.

On the tension between Sudan and Chad, Robichon reiterated the previous position of her country in this regard requesting the parties to exercise self-restraint and to pursue diplomatic means to address the outstanding issues. Also she reaffirmed that France does not stand with a party against the other.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Ali Sadiq told the press that the meeting in addition dealt with the political process to end the five years conflict in Darfur. He added that they discussed French role to convince the leader of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement, Abdelwahid al-Nur who lives in France, to participate in the peace process.

Foreign Minister reviewed with the French Ambassador issues of bilateral relations between the two countries and how to develop it. Further, they discussed the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the issue of Sudanese children that a French organization the Zoe’s Ark to abduct and transport them to France.

Sadiq said the French Ambassador dismissed false reports on the possible re-trial of six French charity workers convicted of child kidnapping in Chad. Christine Robichon asserted that judges seek to adapt their Chadian sentences to French law.

The Zoe’s Ark team were given eight years hard labour — a sentence which does not exist in France — Creteil prosecutor Jean-Jacques Bosc has already said he will seek eight years imprisonment.

The French nationals were arrested in October as they tried to fly the children, aged one to 10, to Europe for fostering with families.

Zoe’s Ark had said it was helping to rescue orphans from Sudan’s war-torn Darfur region across Chad’s eastern border.

But most of the 103 children were found to have come from families in Chadian border villages who were persuaded to give up the infants with promises of education at local centres.

Lawyers for the aid workers later said intermediaries had tricked the charity into taking the children when they had genuinely believed they were rescuing Darfur orphans.

(ST)