Sudan urges international support for new Darfur mediator

July 4, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — State minister for the foreign affairs, Al-Samani Al-Wasila called on the international community to assist the newly aapointed mediator for peace in Darfur and show goodwill towards resolving the Darfur crisis.

Al Wasila further said that what is required from the international community is to encourage the rebel movements to take part in the peace process and not to send negative signals that could affect the resolution of Darfur issue.

He also called for supporting the hybrid peacekeeping mission and to enable it to conduct its mission in the troubled region as well as to provide its needs.

He added that this support will create to create a security climate allowing the citizens of Darfur to move out of the camps and the rehabilitation of their areas and villages of origin to achieve stability, peace and development.

Burkina Faso Foreign Minister Djibril Bassole has been chosen as the new mediator to replace the dual negotiating team for Darfur Salim Ahmed Salim of the African Union and Jan Eliasson of the UN.

The new envoy will be based in the capital of North Darfur El-fasher where are the headquarters of the hybrid peacekeeping mission. He will conduct his mission on full time basis.

It was announced that the former envoys for Darfur would remain as advisers but it is not clear how they would play a role in the peace process, because they were criticized by the Sudanese parties and the international community for their failure to make progress in the file.

(ST)