Egypt urges Sudan to deal with resolution

KHARTOUM, Sudan, July 31, 2004 (UPI) — Egypt urged the Sudanese government Saturday to deal with the U.N. Security Council resolution that gave Sudan 30 days to stop the fighting in Darfur.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abul Ghait said during a visit to Khartoum there were “several elements in the resolution that should be used (by the government) for the purpose of constructive dialogue with the international community to overcome the current situation.”

Abul Ghait, who met Sudanese President Omar Bashir before heading to Darfur, told reporters Egypt was disappointed with the Security Council resolution, especially that the Sudanese government had started to work towards restoring peace in the region.

The resolution called on Sudan to make good on promises it made July 3 to rein in Arab fighters who have been fighting non-Arab residents in Darfur, in which 50,000 people have been killed and one million fled their homes.

The Egyptian minister said the Security Council was “hasty” in its resolution, adding his country would dispatch soldiers to join observers of the Organization of African Unity in Darfur to supervise a ceasefire there.