Britain reassures Sudan it has no plans to send troops to Darfur
KHARTOUM, July 29 (AFP) — Britain’s ambassador to Sudan moved to reassure Khartoum on Thursday that Britain did not intend to send troops to quell militias in crisis-hit Darfur and had no secret agenda in the region.
“The United Kingdom is not planning to send troops to the Sudan and does not harbour any agenda other than trying to meet the humanitarian needs in Darfur and help reach peace in the Sudan,” William Patey told journalists here.
“The United Kingdom has always been interested in a united Sudan where peace prevails …we have no secret agenda for the Sudan,” the ambassador said.
He was reacting to a formal protest by the Sudanese foreign ministry at recent comments by the British army’s chief of staff Michael Jackson, who spoke of the possibility of transporting 5,000 British troops to Darfur.
“The general’s comments were misinterpreted by the press… he said he could send troops if he was asked, but he did not say he would send troops,” Patey said.
In an interview with BBC News 24 on Friday Jackson said: “If need be, we will be able to go to Sudan. I suspect we could put a brigade together very quickly indeed.” Asked how many troops that would entail, he replied: “Five thousand.”
International pressure has been growing on Khartoum to get to grips with what the UN has described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
Up to 50,000 have been killed and over a million people have been displaced in Darfur in 17 months of conflict between two rebel groups and Sudan-backed Janjaweed fighters, who have been accused of atrocities against the civilian population caught in the middle.
Patey, who was speaking at the British embassy here, was reacting to recent local press reports accusing the West of escalating an anti-Sudan campaign by exaggerating the situation in Darfur.
He said his government was willing to offer humanitarian assistance, adding that Britain was the largest provider of funds in Darfur, providing 100 million dollars (82,000 euros).
“We are active in dialogue with the Sudanese government and all we are asking is that the government lives up to its declared commitments of protecting the civilians, providing security, reining in the militias and removing obstacles that hinder the humanitarian activities in Darfur,” Patey said.
On July 22 British Prime Minister Tony Blair denied as “premature” a report that he had drawn up plans to send British troops to Sudan.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw is to visit Sudan in August to discuss the situation in Darfur and may travel to the region itself.