Sudan demands compensation for incursion by French troops
March 8, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese government told a visiting delegation from the European Union (EU) that Khartoum expects reparations for the losses incurred after French troops strayed across the Sudanese border from Chad.
The EU delegation arrived in Khartoum on board two military planes to receive the body of the French soldier who was killed by Sudanese troops after an exchange of fire between the two sides.
The head of the protocol division in the Sudanese Foreign ministry Al-Sadek Al-Makli said that the delegation promised to review a report prepared by Khartoum containing an assessment of the damages caused by the French troops to determine the appropriate compensation.
The body of the French peacekeeper was repatriated Friday after a ceremony with full military honors at Khartoum airport.
The soldier, identified by France as a member of its special forces, was reported missing when at least one vehicle from the European Union peacekeeping mission in Chad, known as EUFOR, crossed into Sudan on Monday.
An exchange of fire followed in which a Sudanese soldier and civilian were killed and another French soldier was wounded, but details of the incident are sketchy.
The commander of the EU’s mission to Chad, Lieutenant General Patrick Nash, has expressed regret for the troops “accidentally” crossing the remote unmarked border.
But the French president Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday accused Sudanese troops of using “disproportionate force”.
The defense ministry in Paris said the soldiers who strayed across the border encountered a Sudanese checkpoint and quickly declared their identity, but were fired on without warning.
Al-Makli said that the EU delegation expressed their gratitude for the cooperation received from the Sudanese government.
The Sudanese official said that his government has “waived its right under international law to perform an autopsy on the soldier for humanitarian reasons”. But he said that an external examination of the soldier’s remains was made for identification purposes.
The 14-nation EUFOR mission of 3,700 troops began deploying to Chad and the Central African Republic last month after a delay caused by a rebel assault on the Chadian capital.
Of that total, 2,000 will be French troops. So far some 700 have been deployed as the force builds up its strength.
(ST)