Sudan calls for German help in solving Darfur crisis

CAIRO, July 11, 2004 (Xinhua) — Sudan hoped that Germany would help to end conflict in the Darfur region so as to resume security there, said Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Ismail Sunday.

Ismail told a news conference after meeting with his German counterpart Joschka Fischer, who arrived in Khartoum Sunday on a two-day visit, that Sudan would provide to the German government a document on the political activities of Sudanese opposition in Germany. The German government is expected to persuade the Sudanese opposition to stop undermining the agreement on ceasefire in Darfur.

He said Sudan is closely watching the developments of the UN draft resolution to take sanctions against Sudan, and hopes that Germany will help the Sudanese government avoid the sanctions, which will further complicate the situation in the region.

Fischer said Germany would like to participated in the efforts to solve the problem in order to end the humanitarian crisis in the region as soon as possible.

According to the United Nations figures, fighting in the Darfur region has driven more than 1 million people from their homes to other parts of Sudan and forced more than 150,000 to flee to neighboring Chad. About 2 million in the region need outside aid.