Sudan's Bashir to attend UN Darfur meeting in New York

A breakthrough. Sudan's President Bashir to attend UN Darfur meeting - Reuters 17 Sep 2006:

Sudanese President al-Bashir will attend a UN meeting on Darfur, opening the way for further talks despite his rejection of UN peacekeeping troops, South Africa said on Sunday.

Bashir would "interact" with the UN Security Council over the issue and attend a summit of the African Union's peace and security council, said South African President Thabo Mbeki after talks with Bashir and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

"President Bashir wasn't going to go to New York but we discussed matters with him and he agreed that he would go to New York so that he can participate in that meeting," Mbeki told reporters.

[Maybe Mr Bashir will meet with US President GW Bush, and sanctions on Sudan will be lifted, and UN troops will be allowed to help AMIS in Darfur...]
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Sudanese Minister underestimates rallies - Bahrain News Agency Sep 17 2006:

Marking the International Day for the support of Darfur, mass rallies in fifty cities worldwide were staged today calling for the deployment of multi national peacekeeping forces in west Sudan.

Sudanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ali Karti, underestimated the importance of these rallies which coincided with the first anniversary of the international commitment to ensure security to civilians all over the world. In a statement transmitted by Radio London, the Sudanese State Minister accused foreign media of deluding international public opinion, affirming that the situation in Darfur is improving.