Sudan adheres to free movement in Darfur: FM

KHARTOUM, Nov 6, 2004 (Xinhua) — Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Othman Ismail [photo] here Saturday affirmed the government’s adherence to freedom of movement in the western Darfur region to maintain security.

In a press statement, Ismail said the government “is responsible for providing security in Darfur in accordance with the (UN) Security Council resolution as well as keeping stability in the Sudanese-Chadian borders”.

“All these responsibilities by the government need this freedom of movement so as to keep security in the area,” he added.

The foreign minister questioned that “how would the Sudanese government be termed directly responsible for reining in the Janjaweed and its movement is restricted?”

He hoped that the mediation of the African Union (AU) would tackle the points of difference between the government and the Darfur rebels on the security file to help sign it.

The Sudanese government’s delegation, which is participating in the peace negotiations in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, refused on Friday to sign a security protocol with the Darfur rebels, while the Darfur rebels agreed on the AU proposal and accept the AU agreement on the security issues.

The government side claimed that the security plan proposed by the AU mediators is “very biased” to the rebels, adding it called for a “no-fly zone” in Darfur and disarming the Arab militias of the Janjaweed, but it does not include a government demand asking the rebels to return to their bases.