European Union ministers discuss policy for Sudan after referendum

November 21, 2010 (Brussels) – European Union will discuss Monday the political situation in Sudan and the possible secession of southern Sudan as direct result to the referendum on self determination that well be held next January.

In a meeting to be chaired by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, the European Union 27 foreign ministers are scheduled to meet in Brussels tomorrow to discuss the situation in Sudan and to show their support to the full implementation for the 2005 peace agreement.

The referendums in Southern Sudan and Abyei area are seen as concluding benchmarks of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which ended more than two decades of war between the northern and southern Sudan.

The foreign ministers are expected to reiterate the EU’s readiness to strengthen dialogue with all the Sudanese stakeholders in the north and the south regardless of the outcome of January referendum.

The Council, according to reliable European sources, will reaffirm The EU willing to boost the capabilities of South Sudan, southern Kordofan, the Blue Nile, Eastern Sudan, Abyei and Darfur region.

The EU deployed 16-strong team of independent observers to monitor for the first time the voter registration that started on 15 November and later brief the European Observation Mission (EOM) on their findings.

Europe believes it should play a complementary role with the US administration to secure regional and international support to the process and advertize for a peaceful coexistence strategy through dialogue and common interests between the north and the South.

The European Union contributes to the funding of the hybrid peace keeping mission in Darfur. It also supports the AU panel on Sudan led by the former South African president.

The meeting should call on the Sudanese government to cooperate with the International Criminal Court, which launched an arrest warrant for the president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir over accusations of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur.

(ST)