Foreign intervention in Darfur rejected: Egyptian FM

CAIRO, Oct 19, 2004 (Xinhua) — Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said Tuesday that foreign intervention in the Sudanese region of Darfur was totally rejected, wishing this “mistake” would never happen.

He added that the United Nations Security Council, which was seeking a way to solve the Darfur issue, had to deal with both sides on equal footing, stressing that the government of Sudan and the rebels should be under same pressures to sit at the negotiation table.

On Monday, Gheit praised the position of Sudanese President Omar Bashir on solving the Darfur crisis as positive.

Bashir’s plan was revealed during a five-way African summit, hosted by Libya on Sunday. The Sudanese president expressed the belief that a federalism was the system fit for ruling Sudan, together with a just power and wealth sharing process.

The African mini summit on the Darfur issue wrapped up in Tripoli late Sunday after leaders and foreign ministers from Nigeria, Sudan, Libya, Egypt and Chad convened for two hours.

After the meeting, the leaders issued a final statement calling on the international community to provide necessary help and aid to the Darfur region as well as the African Union (AU) in order to solve the crisis.

According to a UN report, the Darfur crisis, which began 20 months ago, has so far claimed many lives with many more displaced.

The AU has deployed some 300 soldiers to the Darfur region to protect about 150 observers, who are monitoring a ceasefire reached in April between Khartoum and Darfur rebel groups.