Sudan may need up to 120 days to resolve Darfur crisis: Egyptian FM

CAIRO, Aug 8 (AFP) — Sudan may require up to 120 days to bring the situation in the strife-torn western region of Darfur under control, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit told reporters Sunday.

He was speaking ahead of an Arab League foreign ministers meeting in Cairo that was expected to call for more time for Sudan to meet its commitments under a UN Security Council resolution.

The resolution passed on July 30 gave Khartoum 30 days to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Darfur or face possible sanctions.

“The Darfur crisis is very complicated,” said the Egyptian minister. “I cannot imagine that any country, even the United States, can solve this crisis within 30 days.”

He said that “the brothers in Sudan are now proving” that they are credible with their response to the resolution.

Khartoum has notably agreed to disarm the government-allied Arab militias, called Janjaweed, accused of atrocities in Darfur and an African Union (AU) team backed by 300 security personnel is already monitoring a shaky truce.

The UN resolution’s deadline can be “extended from 30 days to 90 days and 120 days, as long as the credibility remains,” according to Abul Gheit.