Ethiopian FM, EU envoy discuss Darfur peace process

November 21, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) — Seyoum Mesfin the Ethiopian foreign minister and the European Union envoy for Sudan, Ambassador Torven Brylle discussed the resolution of Darfur conflict and the deployment of joint peace keeping for in the region.

The Ethiopian top diplomat told the visiting EU special envoy that the international community should join hands with the neighbouring countries to end the ongoing crisis in Darfur. He further underscored the negative spillover effect of the crisis in the region.

Ethiopia which within the framework of the IGAD contributed to the end of the two decades conflict in southern Sudan, has offered to send 5000 peacekeepers to take part in the AU-UN force. However, only 3000 Ethiopian troops are so far accepted to be deployed.

According to the UN guideline a big number of troops doesn’t have to come from a single nation for the proposed UN/AU hybrid force, to effectively carry out the mission.

Some hundreds of an Ethiopian engineering company arrived in Darfur since last August.

The European Union is one of the principle fundraisers of the peacekeeping mission with the U.S.

Brylle also told reporters that he had fruitful discussion with Seyoum on the deployment of the UNAMID and the peace process in Darfur.

“We have discussed on issues like what the international community can do in addressing the problem in Darfur and southern Sudan,” Brylle said.

(ST)