Khartoum to consider UN role in Darfur once peace agreement reached

News just in from Reuters says Sudan may consider allowing a UN mission into Darfur once a political settlement to the conflict in the area is reached, Sudanese Vice-President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha said on Wednesday.

"If there is a political settlement then by way of providing guarantees to make the settlement hold, then we can look into the role of the UN," he told Reuters.

Update: Mar 9 2006 Reuters - Taha said Sudan could consider an unspecified UN role if peace talks with rebels being held in the Nigerian capital Abuja yielded a political settlement to the conflict. But Solana said that was too limited. "That goes a little bit too far, because that means he only will accept after the Abuja talks have given a result, but we cannot risk not to start with the planning if necessary in case the Abuja talks take longer," Solana told Reuters.