Arab summit closes with adoption of "Khartoum declaration"

The Arab summit closed today with the adoption of the "Khartoum Declaration" which states the Arab position mainly on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the situation in Iraq and Darfur, Morocco Times reported today:

The final declaration backed Sudan's position against the deployment of UN-led peacekeeping forces in Darfur.

"We will never accept the deployment of international troops in Darfur without our permission," said Sudanese president Omar Hassan El Bachir.

"When we have reached a peace agreement, we will be able to examine the role UN force can play at our request," he added.

Key points re Darfur from the Arab summit's "Khartoum Declaration":

- affirm their support for the African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur and underline their rejection of deploying other troops here without permission of the Sudanese government, a reference to UN peacekeepers.

- call for parties at the Darfur peace talks to step up efforts to reach a settlement and express their intention "to increase joint Arab forces within the African Union and offer the necessary funding for them to continue their mission."