[AU-Monitor] Sudan and AU Chairmanship

[Firoze Manji]

Begin forwarded message:

> ------ Forwarded Message
> From: Rotimi <rotimi at credonet.org>
> Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2007 04:30:29 +0000
>
> Dear Colleagues,
> Could this be part of the government of Sudan’s ploy to legitimise  
> itself prior to making another bid for the chairmanship of the AU?
> If this is the case, I think we should act pre-emptively now to to  
> place obstacles in the way of such moves before it gains momentum.
>
> I propose that at least we should consider issuing a statement  
> warning against such a possibility – similar to the one we issued  
> following the 1st Independent African Civil Society Consultations  
> last January.
>
> As most colleagues will already know, the AU summit schedule is
> 22-23 January 2007: Ordinary Session of the PRC (Ambassadors)
> 25-26 January 2007: Ordinary Session of the Executive Council   
> (Ministers F. Affairs)
> 29-30 January 2007: Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly (Heads of  
> States)
>
> If we are to do this, it will have to be done in the next week and  
> a half at most.
>
>
>
> http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/world/16439334.htm? 
> template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
> Posted on Thu, Jan. 11, 2007
>
> Sudan open to peace talks over Darfur
> MOHAMED OSMAN
> Associated Press
>
> KHARTOUM, Sudan - Sudan's government said Thursday it was willing  
> to hold a new round of peace talks with Darfur rebels a day after  
> it agreed in principle to a cease-fire in the western region.
>
> New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who was in Sudan on a  
> mediation mission this week, issued a joint statement Wednesday  
> with President Omar al-Bashir saying both sides in the Darfur  
> conflict had agreed to a 60-day cessation of hostilities while they  
> work toward lasting peace.
>
> Sudan's Foreign Ministry said Thursday the government is willing to  
> conduct talks with Darfur rebels "in any place and at any time, and  
> has also agreed to a cease-fire."
>
> However, it was not clear when the verbal agreements would be  
> translated into action as some earlier reported accords over Darfur  
> have become subject of debate and have not taken effect.
>
> More than 200,000 people have died in Darfur and 2.5 million people  
> have fled their homes since rebels from the region's ethnic African  
> community took up arms against the Arab-dominated government in  
> Khartoum in February 2003, accusing it of long-standing neglect and  
> discrimination.
>
> The Foreign Ministry statement gave no date for the cease-fire to  
> take effect. But it indicated the government troops would respect  
> the cessation of hostilities agreed in a peace accord in May.
>
> That agreement between the government and one rebel faction has  
> been violated on almost daily basis by the regular army, pro- 
> government militia and rebel forces, according to the United  
> Nations, African Union and international aid groups. The conflict  
> has escalated since it was signed.
>
> There was no immediate comment from the main rebel leaders on the  
> government's latest overture.
>
> However, three leaders of rebel factions told Richardson this week  
> they would accept a 60-day cease-fire to enable peace talks to  
> proceed.
>
> The Foreign Ministry statement was issued after al-Bashir met the  
> new U.N. Special Envoy to Darfur, Jan Eliasson, on Thursday.
>
> "There is no military solution for either side," Eliasson told  
> reporters after the talks.
>
> Eliasson, who came to Sudan on Tuesday to push for Khartoum accept  
> U.N. peacekeepers in Darfur, said only improved cooperation between  
> the government, the rebels and the international community would  
> bring an end to what he called "the Darfur nightmare."
>
> The government opposes a U.N. Security Council plan to replace the  
> 7,000 African Union peacekeepers with over 20,000 U.N. troops.  
> However, it has agreed to allow small numbers of U.N. advisers go  
> to Darfur to support the overwhelmed AU mission.
>
> Al-Bashir told The Associated Press in a rare interview Wednesday  
> that U.N. troops were not required in Darfur because the AU force  
> could maintain order.
>
> "Our experience with U.N. operations in the world is not  
> encouraging," he said.
>
> U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday the United Nations  
> must succeed in putting "a strong, well resourced force" on the  
> ground.
>
> ---__
>
> Associated Press reporter Edith M. Lederer contributed to this  
> story from the United Nations.
>
> ------ End of Forwarded Message