Darfur peace mediator denies reports about his resignation

February 17, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – The Darfur peace negotiations’ chief mediator has denied reports that he had requested to resign from his position asking to not renew his mandate.

The reports were published while he was attempting since last January in Doha to convince three rebel groups to agree on common political ground and to form one delegation before starting direct talks with the government.

“My resignation is not on the agenda,” said Djibril Bassole who was talking to Sudan Tribune from the Qatari capital, adding it is not advisable to cease laying the groundwork of peace at this stage.

“It would be irresponsible,” he added.

The report, initially published by a Qatari newspaper and reprinted by Sudanese press, said that the former Burkina Faso foreign minister had sent a letter to UN Secretary General asking to not renew his mandate next June due to political commitments in his country.

Bassole, who was appointed more than one year and half ago, is supported by the UN Secretary General and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. However, his mandate is complicated by regional and international inferences.

For instance, former South African President Thabo Mbeki seems to be looking to get for himself the task of mediating the Darfur problem since he is mandated by the AU Security and Peace Council to seek a “holistic solution” for Sudanese political crises.

Additionally, the new chief of Darfur’s hybrid peacekeeping mission, Ibrahim Gambari, who was in Doha last week to meet the Darfur parties and the mediator, says he too wants to contribute to peace in Darfur.

The chief mediator, trusted by the Sudanese government and rebel groups, replaced the two former mediators who had failed even to establish contact with the two main rebel groups after their rejection to Abuja peace deal in May 2006.

(ST)