Sudan reiterates refusal of international peacekeepers in Darfur

The Sudanese government has reiterated to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan its refusal of deploying international peacekeeping forces in its western region of Darfur, local daily Alsahafa reported on Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Lam Akol made the reiteration in a telephone contact with Annan on Monday.

Akol informed Annan of the Sudanese government's rejection of the international forces and its insistence on the stay of the African forces in the region to continue their mission of observing a truce between the conflicting parties, said the report.

According to the report, the Sudanese foreign minister asked the UN and the international community to provide technical and logistic supports for the African forces.

Akol also called on Annan to play a positive role in realizing the security and stability in Darfur through exerting pressures on the Darfur rebels instead of sending them negative signals which will ruin the chances of resolving the problem.

The UN chief, on his part, urged the Sudanese government to accept the resolution 1706 calling for the international peacekeepers deployment in Darfur.

He, meanwhile, promised that the international body would respect Sudan's sovereignty and not to impose any kind of trusteeship on the country or intervene in its internal affairs.

Annan warned that Sudan's insistence on its refusal of the resolution would lead to serious consequences, but said that the UN would not send its forces to Darfur without the Sudanese government's agreement.

Akol and Annan agreed to intensify the dialogue in order to avoid a confrontation between Sudan and the UN Security Council, which could threaten the peace process in this country, said the daily.

On Aug. 31, the UN Security Council adopted the resolution 1706 calling for the deployment of more than 20,000 international peacekeepers in Darfur to replace the 7800-strong African Union ( AU) forces in the region, which was rejected by the Sudanese government.

The AU decided last Wednesday to extend the mandate of its peacekeeping forces in Darfur until the end of the year, buying time for more negotiations between Khartoum and the UN.

Source: Xinhua