Britain’s Straw to issue warning as he visits Sudan Monday
LONDON, Aug 23, 2004 (dpa) — Britain was set to issue a strong warning Monday to the Sudanese government over the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, reports in London said, as Foreign Secretary Jack Straw flew to Khartoum for talks before heading for the crisis region.
Straw’s visit coincided with peace talks under the auspices of the Africa Union in the Nigerian capital of Abuja.
Representatives of two rebel groups and the Sudanese government are to attempt to end the 18-month conflict which has claimed an estimated 50,000 lives and driven more than a million people from their homes.
Straw was meeting Sudanese Vice-President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha and Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail in Khartoum before visiting the Abu Shouk refugee camp in northern Darfur Tuesday.
Further talks in Khartoum are scheduled thereafter with Sudanese President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir and United Nations’ special representative Jan Pronk.
Foreign Office officials made clear Straw would insist Sudan do more to help the victims of the Darfur conflict, characterized by the U.N. as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. The U.S. Congress has passed a resolution to the effect that genocide is taking place.
British officials termed the dialogue with Sudan as “strong and frank”.
The U.N. has set a deadline of August 30 for Sudan to comply with demands to deal with the crisis, including reining in the Janjaweed militiamen held responsible for most of the atrocities.
However, few international observers believe the Khartoum government has sufficient resources to impose its will.
British officials queried the intentions of the government. “Are the government of Sudan doing enough? No. It is quite clear they are not doing enough to deliver on their commitments,” a Foreign Office official told journalists ahead of Straw’s departure.
On Sunday, Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismael indicated the government was moving to meet the U.N. deadline, but simultaneously made clear it would oppose foreign military intervention.
“We are ready for all options to be taken by the U.N. including military action against us,” he said in Khartoum.
Commenting on peace talks due to start Monday in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, Ismael said the government was ready to attend the talks, provided the Darfur rebels did not seek to impose conditions.
“We are going to Abuja with no conditions and we urge the rebels to go also without any preconditions,” he said.
Sudanese officials said security force reinforcements were being sent to Darfur, and Khartoum submitted a list of the 30 most wanted Janjaweed militiamen to the U.N. and to the African Union.
The militiamen are held responsible for the destruction of villages and the murder and rape of civilians in Darfur.
In London, The Times said Monday that although foreign military intervention remained an option, it was not being considered seriously by any Western government.