EU’s Solana urges Sudan to sign humanitarian protocol on Darfur

By MOHAMED OSMAN, Associated Press Writer

KHARTOUM, Sudan, Oct 24, 2004 (AP) — A senior European official urged Sudan to unilaterally sign a humanitarian protocol as a confidence-building gesture that will allow aid to flow through Darfur, a western region where the U.N. estimates 70,000 people have died.

EU Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana with Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail. Solana noted an improvement in the security and humanitarian situation in Sudan’s crisis-hit Darfur region and pledged millions of dollars to help an African mission enforce a ceasefire.

Sudan’s foreign minister, Mustafa Osman Ismail, said only that the request by the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, would be considered.

The Darfur conflict, which the United Nations has called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, has forced 1.7 million villagers from their homes.

The U.N. death toll figure, which the Sudanese government disputes, is mostly deaths by illness in and around refugee camps in Darfur. It wasn’t known how many have died violently since a rebellion and subsequent militia attacks began in February 2003.

Thus far, neither the Sudanese government nor the two key rebel groups — the Sudan Liberation Army and the Justice and Equality Movement — have been willing to sign a humanitarian protocol during peace talks held in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.

“As a gesture of good will and confidence-building, I will recommend that the government sign the humanitarian protocols. Not only that, but (that it) implement them — and that would no doubt be a very important confidence-building measure” Solana told reporters after his meeting with Ismail.

Solana also urged Sudan to cooperate with fact-finding missions sent in to look into the situation in Darfur.

Ismail said his country has agreed to consider the idea. He described his talks with Solana, who arrived in Khartoum on Saturday evening from Ethiopia, as “useful”.

“The request to sign, unilaterally, the humanitarian protocol in Abuja, is a good suggestion. We will try to pursue it,” Ismail said. “The commitment to continue cooperating with the international community — we will do it.”

Solana also said that despite progress in the security and humanitarian situation in Darfur, more needed to be done.

“Progress in promises made is seen, but there are still some negative signs … and we hope very much the presence of the African Union would contribute to moving the country steps forward,” Javier Solana, the EU’s foreign policy chief told reporters.

The AU’s Peace and Security Council agreed Wednesday to increase its protection force in Darfur from 390 to 3,320 troops and civilian police in an effort to end the violence. It said the expanded operation would cost A?177.4 million (US$221.7 million) for a year. The EU was to provide A?80 million (US$100 million) to expanding the force.

The Sudanese government, which calls the death toll estimate an exaggeration, is accused of backing Arab militias known as the Janjaweed who have carried out a campaign of violence against black non-Arabs, burning down villages and raping and killing residents _ in an effort to put down the rebellion led by non-Arab groups.

Sudan denies backing the Janjaweed.