E.U. urges U.N. sanctions on Sudan over Darfur crisis
BRUSSELS, July 26, 2004 (dpa) — European Union governments Monday urged the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution calling for further action, including possible sanctions, against Sudan.
Striving to press Khartoum to stop the large scale killing of Darfur’s black population by marauding Arab Janjaweed militias, the E.U. said sanctions would be inevitable if dialogue and persuasion failed to produce results.
“Then of course we will meet again to see which sanctions are appropriate,” Dutch Foreign Minister and current E.U. spokesman Bernard Bot told reporters.
“We think it is a combined international effort that is important,” Bot added.
“We need a common approach,” agreed German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer.
There was an E.U. “consensus” there there would have to be sanctions if the Sudanese government failed to meet its promised made to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, Fischer said, adding: “There is not much time to waste.”
Bot said Sudan would have ninety days to stop the bloodshed or face concerted international sanctions.
He added that the E.U. was providing 12 million euros in aid to the African Union observer mission to Darfur and was also planning an increase in humanitarian aid to the region.
Khartoum must keep its pledge of disarming the Janjaweed militia accused of killing thousands of people in the region, Fischer said.
“They have to be stopped,” Fischer said, adding: “Sudan has to deliver on its promises,”
“The situation is very serious … we need to look at further measures,” Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner told reporters.
The E.U. did not repeat recent accusations of genocide levelled against the Sudanese government by the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
E.U. diplomats said the bloc was drawing up a list of Janjaweed militia leaders responsible for the Darfur massacres, with the Sudanese government being pressed to arrest them and bring them to justice.
The E.U. statement underlined European governments, “alarm” at reports of massive human rights violations by the Janjaweed militia, “including the systematic rape of women.”
Brussels is urging a restart of peace talks in Ethiopia after a break down last week. The E.U. also wants humanitarian aid agencies to be given immediate access to the region.
European parliamentarian Glenys Kinnock criticised E.U. governments for not using their financial clout to secure change in Sudanese government policies.
“We are witnessing a huge crime against humanity, and all the evidence is that there should be armed units of peacekeepers able to protect the people and the aid convoys,” Kinnock said.
“The Darfur atrocities demand urgent international action,” she said, adding that as a major donor of aid, the E.U. had the potential to exert considerable leverage likely to bring about change.