UNs Annan to push Sudans Bashir to accept Darfur peacekeepers

[kalamu]

June 23, 2006 (UNITED NATIONS)

Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Friday he plans to meet Sudans President Omar al-Bashir at the African Union summit next week to press for the U.N. takeover of peacekeeping in conflict-wracked Darfur despite his opposition.

Al-Bashir on Tuesday accused Jewish groups of pressing for the U.N. mission, and vowed never to let U.N. peacekeepers into the vast western region where three years of fighting has claimed more than 200,000 lives and forced over 2 million people to flee their homes.

The African Union has said it cannot handle a long-term peacekeeping operation and wants its 7,000-strong force replaced by U.N. peacekeepers. The U.N. has envisioned taking over in early 2007 and wants to beef up the poorly equipped AU force in the interim - but the handover is contingent on approval by the Sudanese government.

"We have not got the agreement of the Sudanese government yet, but the dialogue continues, and I look forward to seeing (al-Bashir) again at the African Union summit in Banjul (Gambia) next week," Annan said. "I hope we will be able to pursue the discussion, not only with me, but with other African leaders."

The Sudanese government wants AU troops to remain, arguing that U.N. peacekeepers would represent a foreign occupation and intervention, and remind the country of its colonial past.

"I have tried to get across the message that we are coming in to help the Sudanese authorities and the people of Sudan, the people in Darfur, and quite honesty, if they had been protected, the question of U.N. deployment would not be necessary," Annan said.

The Darfur conflict began in early 2003 when members of ethnic African tribes rose in revolt against the Arab-led Khartoum government. Sudans government is accused of responding by unleashing Arab militias known as the Janjaweed who have been blamed for the worst atrocities. Khartoum denies any involvement, but has committed to disarm the Janjaweed under the peace deal.

U.N. Undersecretary-General for Peacekeeping Jean-Marie Guehenno has just finished a two-week trip to Darfur and Khartoum with some 40 U.N. and African Union experts to plan for a possible U.N. takeover.

He downplayed al-Bashirs relection of a U.N. mission, saying he hoped it was not the end of the story.

"There are many misunderstandings about the U.N.s goals in Darfur that we are trying to solve with the Sudanese government," Guehenno told AP in Khartoum.

In the meantime, Annan said, pressure must be exerted on two key rebel groups in Darfur that have refused to sign the May 5 peace agreement with the government.

He also urged donors to give generously at a pledging conference next month to strengthen the AU peacekeeping force, and to support U.N. humanitarian assistance in Darfur.