France provides $1m for AMIS

Nov 12 2006 via ST - France calls for comprehensive settlement of Darfur crisis.

French FM announced that his country would provide additional 1million euros (about 1.28 million U.S. dollars) for AU peacekeeping forces in Darfur.

AU launches Darfur-Darfur Dialogue and Consultation

10 Nov 2006 AMIS Press Release via ST.

Sudan, UN agree to set up tripartite mechanism on Darfur

Nov 12 2006 People's Daily Online:

Sudan and the United Nations on Saturday agreed to set up a tripartite mechanism to study ways of providing supports to strengthen the African Union forces in Sudan's western region of Darfur.

Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ali al-Sadig told Xinhua the agreement on the tripartite mechanism, which will bring together the Sudanese government, the UN and the African Union (AU), was reached during a meeting between Sudanese Foreign Minister Lam Akol and Hedi Annabi, the UN assistance secretary general for peacekeeping operations.

"The mission of the tripartite mechanism is to exchange information and to deliver the supports which the UN has promised to provide for the AU peacekeeping forces in Darfur," the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Al-Sadig noted that Lam Akol and Hedi Annabi also discussed the situation on the borders between Sudan and Chad and the Central Africa, adding that the UN was going to send an investigation team to evaluate the situation there.

French FM suggests UN command with African general

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy conferred with Egyptian officials Sunday ahead of a trip to Khartoum aimed at finding a compromise with Sudan on the deployment of peacekeepers in Darfur.

The French diplomat held talks with Khartoum's Egyptian allies in a bid to explore new solutions after the Sudanese government made it clear it would reject a UN force in war-ravaged Darfur.

"We would like a UN command with an African general," Douste-Blazy said in Cairo before his meeting with President Hosni Mubarak.

Full story by AFP via ST 12 Nov 2006.

Increase AU force efficiency is our "priority" - French FM

Nov 11 2006 AFP report - excerpt:

[French FM} Douste-Blazy will meet with Abul Gheit on Saturday and with President Hosni Mubarak on Sunday. He is also to talk with Arab League Secretary General Amr Mussa, before heading for Khartoum for talks with Beshir.

On Monday, he is due to travel to Darfur on a fact-finding mission and to hold talks with AU, UN and non-governmental organisation officials on the spot.

Security Council cancels trip to discuss Darfur force

A delegation of eight envoys, led by Britain, was to have taken part in meetings on Monday with Sudanese officials and African Union officials at AU headquarters in Addis Ababa.

But differences emerged about whether the group had a mandate to engage in discussions, the size of the delegation and whether the visit should supersede a planned trip to Addis three days later from Secretary-General Kofi Annan and his staff, the envoys said.

Full story Reuters 10 Nov 2006 via ST.

British Diplomat: "Security Council cannot impose international forces on Sudan"

Asharq Alawsat Newspaper (English) 9 Nov 2006 by Mina Al-Oraibi:

London, Asharq Al-Awsat- A high-ranking British diplomat acknowledged yesterday that if Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir continues to refuse the deployment of UN forces in Darfur then the UN Security Council (UNSC) cannot force him to do so "or occupy Sudan." He added that the "international community must in this case shoulder the responsibility and assist the African Union (AU) to broaden the mission of its forces there."

The diplomat, who spoke to Asharq al-Awsat on the condition of anonymity, stressed that "the Sudanese Government is responsible for the deterioration in Darfur and the UN cannot be held responsible for that." But in his answer to a question on whether this means taking measures against the Sudanese Government for its refusal to deploy international forces, the diplomat stated, "In this case, the international community will be compelled to shoulder its responsibilities and assist the AU to broaden its mission."

Speaking at a meeting with a group of Arab and Iranian correspondents yesterday, the British diplomat also affirmed that "The AU has done a good job but the challenge is greater than what its forces can control." He recalled that the AU has not been asked for a military operation of this size since its establishment and added, In addition to the international forces' expertise in this matter, the UN Security Council (UNSC) is seeking to deploy UN forces that do not require a special budget but rather (finance it) from the budget allocated for the UN peacekeeping operations. He added that the UNSC is trying to persuade the Sudanese president to accept the international forces before 24 November, the date for the AU's meeting to discuss a renewal of its forces' mission in Sudan. He noted British Prime Minister Tony Blair's willingness to attend a "meeting of leaders to discuss this issue."

China can pressure Africa to reform - UK minister

Nov 10 2006 Dow Jones report via ST - excerpt:

African countries will benefit from Chinese investment if China acts as a responsible world player by pressuring governments there to reform, U.K. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State David Triesman told Dow Jones Newswires Thursday in an interview.

The Group of Eight's African aid efforts, agreed upon last year at its Gleneagles summit in Scotland, have helped to improve the continent "on balance," said Triesman, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's minister for Africa. But some nations such as Sudan and Zimbabwe, despite drawing Chinese investment in their rich natural resources, have significantly regressed, he said.

China's diplomacy in Africa is "an incredibly private process," Triesman said, but he added that increasing pressure for reforms would have practical benefits even from a purely business perspective.

"They've tended to say, 'We've come along with investment and without any ideological baggage," Triesman said. But by promoting good governance and the rule of law, he added, China would increase the overall security of African countries "and improve the return on investment."

The minister's remarks follow the unprecedented Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit last week in China, where the Chinese government and representatives from 48 African countries signed deals worth $1.9 billion.

In a declaration read at the end of the forum, participants pledged a partnership based on "political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win cooperation and cultural exchanges."

Minister, envoys discuss Arab participation in S. Sudan development

The meeting with the Emarati envoy discussed possibilities for the Emirates to contribute in the construction of the infrastructure of southern Sudan.

Full story Nov 4 2006 via Sudan Tribune.

Japanese FM urges Sudan to accept UN forces for Darfur

Kyodo report excerpt (Nov 6 2006 via ST):

Japan urged Sudan on Monday to accept the deployment of a U.N. mission to Sudan's strife-torn Darfur region in line with a U.N. Security Council resolution, a Foreign Ministry official said.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso made his call in a meeting with his Sudanese counterpart Lam Akol Ajawin, who is currently visiting Japan.

Aso was quoted as saying Japan finds it desirable for peacekeeping operations in Darfur to be taken over by the United Nations as the African Union Mission in Sudan, commonly referred to as AMIS, may not be adequate for the job.

The Sudanese foreign minister said in response that his country is by no means hostile to the United Nations but that it wants to resolve the issue on its own as any deployment will infringe on its sovereignty, the official said.

The foreign minister added that Sudan intends to resolve the issue by expanding AMIS, in an implicit refusal of Japan's call for Sudan to accept the U.N. peacekeeping mission.

Irish FM warns Sudan over Darfur deaths

The Sudanese Government will be held personally responsibly for any further deaths in war-ravaged Darfur, Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern warned today. See full story by Irish Examiner Nov 7 2006 via Sudan Tribune.

French FM to press Sudan on Darfur

Nov 10 2006 Reuters report excerpt:

France's foreign minister, who has repeatedly called on Khartoum to let U.N. peacekeepers into Darfur, will visit Sudan next week to speed up the search for a solution to the humanitarian crisis there, his ministry said.

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy will visit the Sudanese capital on Sunday, where he expects to meet President Omar Hassan al-Bashir before travelling to Darfur on Monday, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

"This visit takes place in the context of the move led by France with its partners from the international community to accelerate the settlement of the Darfur crisis," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

UN council sending group to AU meeting in Ethiopia re AMIS

Nov 10 2006 AP report via OR UN council sending group to Ethiopia by Alexandra Olson, AP Writer:

The U.N. Security Council U.N. Security Council is sending a delegation to a key African Union meeting with Sudan on Monday with a message that it still backs the U.N. takeover of peacekeeping in conflict-wracked Darfur, the council president said Thursday.

Sudanese and AU officials are starting a series of meetings in Ethiopia's capital on Monday to discuss the future of the 7,000-member AU force, whose mandate expires on Dec. 31.

"The purpose of this mission is to have a dialogue conducive to the implementation of Resolution 1706," which was adopted on Aug. 31 and authorizes the U.N. takeover of peacekeeping efforts, he said after the council discussed the mission late Thursday.

He said the delegation will be led by Britain, whose U.N. Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry led a Security Council mission to Sudan and neighboring Chad in June. Hedi Annabi, the assistant secretary-general for peacekeeping operations, left for Sudan on Thursday for talks with the Sudanese government ahead of the meeting, said U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

Sudan's U.N. ambassador made clear his country would not accept any U.N. participation beyond the material and logistical support to the AU forces.

"(U.N.) forces will not be accepted in anyway. No blue helmets, only African Union forces, expanded, intensified, enhanced, augmented through the support of the United Nations ," said Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem.

On Wednesday, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the United Nations wanted to go beyond the $22 million support package approved for the AU mission "to ensure that we do have an effective force on the ground."

Sudanese FM talks with next UN chief

Nov 9 2006 AFP report via ST - Sudan's FM opposes UN peacekeepers in Darfur - excerpt:

Sudan's foreign minister said Thursday he was opposed to the United Nations' plan to send peacekeepers to Darfur, after talks with his South Korean counterpart Ban Ki-moon, the next UN chief.

"I don't understand why the UN tries to send troops to Darfur," Lam Akol Ajawin told South Korea's Yonhap news agency, adding that the African Union should continue to take command in handling the crisis in Darfur.

"We also want a speedy resolution to the issue. But it is a matter to be handled by the Sudanese government and the African Union," said Ajawin, who is on a two-day trip to Seoul as part of a tour of Asia that also took him to Japan.

"We are resolved to address it, as shown in the peace talks in Abuja that started in 2004."

UPDATE: See Nov 7 2006 INTERVIEW-Next U.N. chief pledges swift action on Darfur.

INTERVIEW-Next U.N. chief pledges swift action on Darfur

Nov 7 2006 Reuters - excerpt:

The U.N. secretary-general elect, South Korea's Ban Ki-Moon, said on Tuesday he aimed to meet Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir as soon as possible to break the deadlock over U.N. peacekeepers going to Darfur.

Ban, who takes office on Jan. 1, said the international community and the United Nations in particular needed to halt the violence in Sudan's western Darfur region "before it's too late".

"I'm going to meet Sudanese leaders and other African leaders to help resolve this Darfur crisis before it's too late," Ban told Reuters in an interview in Seoul.

Asked if he planned to meet Bashir, Ban replied: "I hope I'll be able to meet him as soon as possible; but I'll try to meet the foreign minister first."

See Nov 10 2006 - Sudan's FM talks with next U.N. chief.

Controls tighten on media and aid workers in Darfur

Authorities also obstruct aid staff working in Darfur with a myriad permit requests, although Khartoum has promised in writing to provide free access for the humanitarian community.

"They make it very clear. They want to drastically reduce the number of NGOs in Darfur, and regain control," said one Western aid worker who asked to remain anonymous to protect her organisation, which is under threat of expulsion.

Full story by Opheera McDoom, Reuters, 8 Nov 2006.

Eritrea says ready to mediate between Sudan govt, Darfur rebels

Eritrea expressed readiness to mediate between the Sudanese government and Darfur rebel groups opposed to Darfur Peace Agreement signed in Abuja in May.

Full story ST 4 Nov 2006.

UN report says international community had to provide more equipment and support to AMIS

Reuters report via Gulf Times 6 Nov 2006 Sudan failed to disarm militias, UN report says.

Note, the report - prepared by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the basis of witness accounts - is due to be released shortly. It says "the international community had to provide more equipment and support to a struggling African Union force that is failing to stem the violence in Darfur."

White House drops support for UN peace force in Darfur - Eritrea as go between to renegotiate DPA?

Nov 5 2006 AFP report - White House drops support for UN peace force in Darfur - (via Taipei Times):

In a major policy reversal, Washington's special envoy for Sudan has confirmed the US is backing away from demands for deployment of a UN peacekeeping force to halt what it has called genocide in the the war-torn region of Darfur.

Andrew Natsios, US President George W. Bush's personal envoy to Sudan, said Washington and other Western governments were looking for an "alternate way" to deal with the violence in Darfur which has left at least 200,000 people dead and 2.5 million homeless in the past three-and-a-half years.

It was the first public admission that the US was reconsidering its backing for an Aug. 31 UN Security Council resolution, which Washington sponsored, demanding the immediate deployment of some 20,000 UN troops to replace an ineffective African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur.

Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir rejected the UN demand and refused to meet with Natsios during a visit to Khartoum last week, the US envoy said in an interview with the US National Holocaust Memorial Museum which was posted on the memorial's Web site on Friday.

Natsios said Beshir was furious over Bush's renewal last week of US financial sanctions imposed on Sudan for its handling of regional conflicts, including Darfur, and alleged support for international terrorists.

"They were quite upset about [it], so much so that they canceled my meeting with President Beshir," he said.

At a White House meeting with Natsios on Wednesday, Bush said he was reviewing the US approach to the Darfur crisis, described as the first genocide of the 21st century, but he refused to provide details.

A UN-brokered peace agreement signed in May with one of the rebel groups brought hope for an end to the carnage, but ultimately failed when other groups refused to sign.

Since then government-allied forces have renewed offensives in the region, with the UN reporting on Friday that scores of civilians had been massacred in refugee camps in the region over the past few days.

Under pressure from European allies and human rights groups, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made Darfur a major US foreign policy priority in the middle of this year, insisting that only a UN "blue-helmeted" force would have the financial and political clout to stop the killing.

But Besher has refused to budge.

At a summit of African leaders in Beijing on Friday, the Sudanese leader said accepting UN troops in Darfur would lead to a debacle similar to Iraq.

Natsios now says the UN role is no longer essential.

"Our real interest here is not what it is called or what it looks like in terms of its helmet, but how robust and how efficient it is," he said.

Washington could accept either a strengthened African Union force or one led by Arab or Muslim nations, possibly backed by UN financial or logistical support, he said.

Another element of the new US approach is to use African mediation -- Natsios mentioned Eritrea as a potential go between -- to renegotiate the May peace agreement in a bid to draw in other rebel groups.

Sudan's Mustafa Ismail to be in charge of Darfur file

Smiley is back.

Mustafa Ismail to be in charge of Darfur file:

Sudan has removed Majzoub al-Khalifa, the presidential advisor from the file of Darfur. He has been replaced by Mustafa Osman Ismail, a Sudanese newspaper disclosed Saturday.

Note, the report tells us Mr Ismail: "who was very hostile to Eritrea in the past, has learnt to appreciate work besides the Eritrean mediators and president Asias Afwerki."