Top European Union (EU) officials laid pressure on the Sudanese government over Khartoum's acceptance of a hybrid peacekeeping force in the Darfur region.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, EU foreign policy and security chief Javier Solana and EU development commissioner Louis Michel met representatives of the Sudanese government on Saturday evening, Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amado told reporters.
"It was a difficult meeting... The circumstances were especially difficult as you all know," said Amado.
Portuguese Prime Minister, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, was at the meeting in the first 20 minutes. He had to leave to chair a plenary session of the EU-Africa summit.
The EU presidency was represented by Portuguese secretary of state for foreign affairs, Joao Cravinho, throughout the one-hour meeting.
"It was a very frank meeting. This means that both sides stated their concerns very openly," Cravinho told reporters.
The Sudanese side said it has difficulty in accepting non-African peacekeepers in the Darfur region, said Cravinho.
The African Union (AU) currently has a poorly equipped 7,000-strong peacekeeping force in Darfur. Khartoum has refused to accept a proposed UN-AU hybrid force for the western Sudanese region.
At Saturday's meeting, Khartoum said progress has been made and that there will be news in the very near future about the statute of the UN-AU hybrid force, said Cravinho.
"We are waiting for the news at U.N. level," he said, adding that the EU's message has been through to Sudan.
At the meeting, the EU also expressed concern over the lack of progress in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the government and the rebel-held south.
The EU is concerned that a 2011 referendum in the south may lead to division of Sudan, said Cravinho.
He said the EU encouraged Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to have deeper dialogue with parties in the south.
The EU also expressed concern over the lack of Sudanese cooperation with the International Criminal Court.
The Hague-based court issued arrest warrants for Sudanese Humanitarian Affairs Minister Ahmad Muhammad Harun and Janjaweed Arab militia leader Ali Kushayb the in May 2007. Sudan refuses to hand over the two men, saying the court has no jurisdiction over this matter.
Source:Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article