UN says Pronk's status remains unchanged - Sudan says Pronk is "history"

Oct 27 2006 Reuters report by Evelyn Leopold - Sudan says expelled UN envoy is "history" - excerpt:

Sudan's U.N. ambassador on Thursday said the expelled top U.N. envoy in his country, Jan Pronk, was "history" and that the United Nations should send a new representative.

"For us Mr. Pronk is history," Sudan's ambassador Abdalmahmood Mohamad told reporters. "He was not supportive, he was abusive and he became part of the problem not the solution."

Sudan's army last week called Pronk, Annan's special representative in Sudan, a threat to the country's national security.

"The Sudanese military is the custodian of the stability and the security of the country. Like any other country, what do you expect the military to do?" Mohamad said.

Although few expect Pronk to return to Khartoum, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that the envoy "continues to serve with the full backing of the secretary-general and with his full confidence."

"We need to take things one step at a time," Dujarric said. "As far as we're concerned, his status remains unchanged."

Mohamad said Pronk far exceeded his brief. "Is it the mandate of Kofi Annan? Is it the mandate of Mr. Pronk to describe the morale of the army and the operations of the army and the killings of the army?"

Touchy little flowers eh? Flaming bullies more like. Trying to shut people up. They won't succeed so may as well embrace communications technology and start doing some explaining.