Sirte summit on Sudan’s Darfur crisis issues its communiqué

SIRTE, Libya, Oct 18, 2004 (SUNA) — The summit of the five presidents which took place in the Libyan town of Sirte has decided to follow up the question of Darfur and to hold regular meetings between the leaders of the five countries.

Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail talks to reporters at the end of a meeting on Sudan’s Darfur region at an hotel in Tripoli, Libya, early Monday, Oct. 18, 2004. (AP).

The final communiqué said the summit has delegated the Libyan leader to contacts all the concerned parties with the view to reach a permanent solution and to coordinate and consult with the leaders and presidents who took part in the summit.

The summit has also rejected any foreign intervention from any quarters in the question of Darfur which is considered as a pure African affair.

It also welcomed the decision of the Sudanese government to increase the number and expand the mission of the supervisors of the African Union.

The communiqué said the summit was held at an initiative from the Nigerian President who is the current chairman of the African Union and at the invitation of the Libyan leader Muammar Ghadafi on the 17th of October and in which the President of Egypt Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, President of Sudan, Omer Hassan Al-Bashir, the President of Chad Idris Deby in addition to professor Alpha Omar Konary, the chairman of the African Union Commission.

The communiqué said the five leaders have reviewed the various humanitarian, security, political, economic and social aspects of the situation in Darfur and come to an agreement in which they expressed appreciation of the efforts and assistance provided by the international community and in particular the organizations working in the humanitarian relief domain with the view to alleviate the suffering of the people of Darfur, stressing that the crisis needed more support and backing from the various concerned parties , appealing to the international community to take urgent steps to face the humanitarian crisis situation in Darfur.

The summit expressed appreciation for the efforts exerted by the Sudanese government to improve the humanitarian situation and to provide all the necessary facilities to the organizations working in the domain of humanitarian relief and to alleviate the suffering of the citizens of Darfur, and provide all possible assistance for the flow of humanitarian assistance to the region of Darfur, in addition to it s cooperation with the concerned international quarters concerned with human rights, saying it was necessary that the international community should double its efforts with the view to help the Sudanese government upgrade its capabilities to face the situation that resulted in from this problem of Darfur.

The summit stressed the commitment to the sovereignty of the Sudan, its independence and its unity and the safety of its national territories, stressing the importance of non intervention in the internal affairs of the Sudan in a way that would obstruct the efforts exerted for the realization of stability and security in all parts of the Sudan.

The summit expressed its satisfaction over the progress achieved at Naivasha and hope that the remaining points of differences would be overcome n preparation for reaching a final peace agreement such being an important step towards the achievement of a comprehensive peace in all Sudan, including boosting the efforts exerted for a settlement to the Darfur crisis.

The summit also welcomed the efforts exerted by Egypt for hosting rounds of dialogue between the government of the Sudan and the National Democratic Alliance in Cairo, as this was considered a preparation for the future encounters that aim to set the pillars of peace and stability in the whole country, commending the efforts and contacts being undertaken by concerned parties in the Sudanese affairs with the view to calm down the situation in eastern Sudan.

The communiqué said the leaders and presidents have decided that the summit assume the follow up of the Darfur question through the contacts made between the leaders and presidents participating in the summit and that they hold regular meeting amongst themselves and under the supervision of the African Union.

They also decided to delegate President Ghaddafi of to make contact with all concerned parties in Darfur and to continue until a final solution to the question of Darfur was found, saying that he carry out coordination and consultation with the leaders and presidents participating in the summit.

They also decided to reject any foreign intervention from any party in these affairs which is a pure African matter.

The communiqué said the summit has welcomed the efforts exerted by the Sudanese government in implementation of the commitments it shouldered in accordance with the agreement signed with the Secretary General of the United Nations in Khartoum on the third of July 2004, and the plan of action it reached with the special representative of the United Nations Secretary General to the Sudan on the fifth of August 2004, expressing hope that the Sudanese government would take the necessary measures requested by the United Nations Security Council.

It commended the leading role played by the African Union for reaching a solution to the problem. It pointed out that in this context the summit appreciate the efforts exerted by President Obasanjo, the current chairman of the African Union, for finding a solution to the conflict in Darfur, and they also expressed their profound appreciation for the initiative of Libyan leader Muammar Ghadafi for holding of the summit at this critical phase and to give an impetus to the efforts exerted by the African Union saying such efforts were the corner stone in all the international efforts aimed to find a solution to the problem.

The communiqué said the summit has welcomed the decision of the Sudanese government to increase and to expand the mandate of the observes of the African Union and the forces set to provide protection for the observers, appealing to international community to provide more assistance and backing for the African Union and provide their contribution in this regards, urging the international community to honor their commitment immediately towards this mission be it material or logistical commitment.

The communiqué said the summit has urged for the signing of a protocol for the improvement of the humanitarian situation and to double efforts for reaching an agreement on the protocol for boosting the security situation in Darfur in accordance with the N’djamena accord and the resolution of the African Summit issued on the 8th of July 2003, and that it shall be singed during the upcoming round of peace talks which is scheduled o take place in Abuja on the 21st of October 2004, considering that this was a very important step to put an end to the suffering of the citizens and would encourage the internally displaced persons and the refugees to return back home.

The communiqué said the summit has also delegated the foreign ministers to form a mechanism for following up the efforts exerted on the ground and within the framework of he African Union and to report to the leaders and presidents. Egypt has proposed that the mechanism hold its first meeting in Cairo, Egypt, the invitation was accepted with appreciation of thanks for this initiative.