Algeria backs African efforts to settle Darfur crisis

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 2, 2004 (Algérie Presse Service) — Algeria’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Abdallah Baali reiterated, Thursday, the necessity to support the African efforts to reach a peaceful and global solution to Darfur crisis and to preserve Sudan’s sovereignty, during a session of the Security Council, conducted in camera, with the Sudanese Foreign Minister, Dr Mustapha Othman Ismail.

Abdallah Baali [photo] recalled that Algeria has already put a stress on the importance to build cooperation relations with the Sudanese government, saying it is convinced that no other alternative is possible.”

The Algerian diplomat hailed “Sudan’s efforts to settle this crisis which is taking alarming proportions on the humanitarian plan, and is threatening not only security and unity in Sudan but also in all the regions.”

In this context, he went on “Algeria encourages the Sudanese government to carry on efforts to guarantee the security of the populations in Darfur and allow them to get back to their homes”.

The threats of sanctions “will make the situation even worse,” Baali underscored, calling for the multiplication of efforts to take up the challenges of the tragic situation in Darfur.”

Baali went on “the end of violence and the taking in charge of other aspects of the crisis depend on the political solution which is now under negotiations between the government and the representatives of the rebel movements, under the aegis of Nigeria President, Olusegun Obasanjo, current president of the African Union (AU) who called on Sudan to allow further deployment of observers and protection forces in the region.

Baali hailed the measures taken by the Sudanese government to facilitate the transportation by governmental and non-governmental (NGO) organisations of humanitarian aids to the population in Darfur.