Khartoum challenges international community to keep promises

KHARTOUM, Sudan, Sep 7, 2004 (PANA) — Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman
Ismail challenged the international community to deliver on
pledges concerning humanitarian assistance to the troubled region
of western Darfur.

Local press reports Tuesday quoted Ismail as asserting in Tokyo,
Japan that Sudan had largely complied with UN demands to restore
security to Darfur, despite concern expressed by Secretary
General Kofi Annan that most militia in the area were still not
disarmed.

Last month, the UN Security Council ordered Khartoum to disarm
the Janjaweed, a government-backed Arab militia accused of
widespread human rights abuses in Darfur.

“The support of the international community is less than 50
percent of what they pledged” Ismail, currently on a visit to
Tokyo, Japan noted.

Meanwhile, the US is preparing a new resolution on the crisis in
Darfur for consideration by the UN Security Council, and
Secretary of State Colin Powell is expected to present it to the
Council some time this week.

“I expect the Security Council to call on the international
community to meet its commitments on Darfur,” Ismail said of the
planned Security Council session.

“I would expect the Security Council to call upon the African
Union to come up with more monitors and to be supported by the
international community,” he said.

Last weekend Ismail categorically denied that Khartoum was
opposed to an increase in the number of African monitors in
Darfur, but insisted that Sudanese forces should be responsible
for security in the region.

The AU currently has about 80 military observers in Darfur,
protected by just over 300 soldiers monitoring a shaky cease-fire
signed last April in neighbouring Chad.

Peace talks are continuing in Abuja, Nigeria between the Khartoum
government and the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and
Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).