French Delegation Visit North Darfur

From Sudan Radio Service, Wed, 08 July 2009:
French Delegation Visit Darfur

(El Fasher) – A French parliamentary delegation visited El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur on Tuesday for talks with state officials, the joint peacekeeping mission and displaced people.

The delegation, headed by the French Ambassador to Sudan, Patrick Nicolozio, met UNAMID chief Rodolphe Adada, who briefed them on the work of the peacekeeping mission and the general security situation in Darfur, which he described as "calm but unpredictable."

UNAMID spokesperson Nouraddine Mezni spoke to Sudan Radio Service on Tuesday about the visit.

[Nouraddine Mezni]: “Mister Adada, the joint special representative of UNAMID received the French delegation. Mister Adada appealed to France and the international community as a whole to do everything possible to push forward the peace process. He stressed that UNAMID will continue its efforts on the ground to diffuse violence, protect civilians, in particular the internally displaced persons, and create an environment conducive to the success of the peace process. The aim of this tour is to prepare a report on the situation in Darfur to be submitted to French National Assembly in October 2009”.

The delegation also met different Sudanese government officials in Khartoum who urged France to press the Paris-based SLM leader Abdel Wahid Al-Nur to join the peace process in Doha. They also requested that the French authorities help to ease the current tensions between Sudan and Chad.

The delegation is expected to visit Juba in the coming days to meet with the officials of the Government of southern Sudan after their visit to Darfur.