UK Straw to push EU to fund Africa Union’s Sudan mission
LONDON, July 22, 2004 (AP ) — U.K. foreign secretary Jack Straw is to press the European Union to help fund the African Union’s mission to Sudan .
Violence in Sudan ‘s Darfur region has led to tens of thousands of deaths, and the Sudanese government has been accused of supporting Arab militias blamed for atrocities against the black African population.
Sudan has agreed to let the 53-member African Union send troops with a mandate to protect aid workers, monitors and civilians from Arab militiamen.
Straw said he was pressing the E.U. to fund the African Union’s monitoring mission, and also provide a team of civilians, and people with military expertise, to offer advice and support.
“We are discussing with E.U. partners what additional assistance we can provide, including practical advice and support to the AU mission, by sending an E.U. joint civilian military team to the region to help the AU plan and mount an effective mission,” Straw told reporters.
Officials stressed that didn’t amount to an E.U. military mission.
The U.S. has been pushing for a U.N. Security Council resolution to impose sanctions on the Sudanese government.
Straw said a draft resolution was being negotiated demanding cooperation from Sudan .
“The aim of the resolution is to set a deadline for full cooperation,” he said, adding that if the Sudanese government failed to satisfy the U.N. “they will be left to face a range of options, including sanctions.”
Straw, who has spoken about Sudan in recent days with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier and Germany’s Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, said he planned to visit Sudan in late August.
U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair said Thursday that the U.K. had a “moral responsibility” to act over the humanitarian crisis in Sudan .
But asked about possible military intervention in the African nation, Blair told his monthly news conference: “We rule nothing out, but we are not at that stage yet.”
Straw said the U.N. resolution would also hold rebel forces to their commitment to a cease-fire.
“Neither we nor the United States nor the other Security Council members will accept anything other than full cooperation with the international community,” he said.
Straw said diplomats in New York were confident that nine members of the 15-member Security Council would vote for the resolution, but were pushing for a unanimous, or near unanimous verdict.
Asked if he envisioned a U.N. force, or the threat of force, he said: “I don’t at the moment….It is not something you would want to rule out in these circumstances.”