State minister for Foreign Affairs meets European troika delegation

KHARTOUM, May 9, 2004 (SUNA) — State Minister for Foreign Affairs Nagib Al-Khair Abdul-Wahab held the countries of the European Union and USA responsible to a great extent for what had happened to the humanitarian situations in Darfur for their unwise decisions concerning imposition of economic sanctions on Sudan and suspension of development aid and punishing the states of Sudan, which depend to a great extent in their development on the resources of international cooperation.

This came when the minister received the delegation of the European Troika, headed by the Netherlands Charge d’Affaires in Khartoum and comprised the British Ambassador to Sudan and head of the European Commission in Khartoum.

The minister affirmed the government’s keenness to maintain the effective partnership with the European Union to overcome the current situations in Darfur, reiterating the government’s commitment to the importance of working in accordance with this partnership in all issues of mutual concern, including realization of peace in the southern part of the country, restoration of stability in Darfur, provision of resources for development and basic needs and releasing the frozen rights within the Cotonou Convention.

The minister described the decision by the President of the Republic on establishment of a fact-finding committee on human rights situations in Darfur as a pure Sudanese initiative emanating from the Sudanese conscience and that it also constitutes a boost to the European-Sudanese partnership.

The minister asked the Troika delegation to urge their governments to contribute to solution of the development problem in Darfur, which represents the basic cause of the conflict, emanating from the positive elements that have been realized in containing the security problem in Darfur and the progress made in the humanitarian field.

He referred to what was contained in the report of the delegation of the High Commission for Human Rights that the outlaw groups were responsible for flaring the conflict in Darfur, affirming the government commitment to work for realizing just and sustainable solution to Darfur problem.

The delegation, on its part, expressed understanding for the government’s stance and promised to work jointly to provide a conducive atmosphere for the contribution of the European Union in solving Darfur problems.