Visiting Sudanese Defense Minister Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein on Sunday called on Egypt to send more peacekeepers to the western Sudanese region of Darfur, seeking a strong Egyptian peacekeeping role in the restive region.
Egypt is a key partner in the Sudanese peace process due to its strenuous efforts to help reach peace and stability in Sudan, the Egyptian official MENA news agency quoted Hussein as saying.
During his visit in Egypt, the Sudanese defense minister is requesting more Egyptian peacekeeping troops, including policemen, to be deployed in the restive Darfur region.
Earlier in the day, Hussein held talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on the latest developments in Sudan.
Hussein said he also met with Egyptian Defense Minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, Intelligence chief Omar Suleiman and Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit.
During the talks with Mubarak, Hussein delivered a verbal message from Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir on Egypt's contribution to the UN-African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), MENA said.
Underlining the importance of the Egyptian peacekeepers in Darfur, al-Bashir expressed Sudan's wish for the participation of Egyptian police units in the peacekeeping operation in the restive Sudanese region, the report said.
Hussein appreciated Egypt's peacekeeping efforts, saying "Egypt's presence as part of the international hybrid force in Darfur is really important."
Sudan expects the police units to be deployed in Darfur under UNAMID would be mostly Egyptian "because of the efficiency of the Egyptian policemen and their closeness to the Sudanese people," said the Sudanese minister.
Egypt, one of the largest contributors to the hybrid peacekeeping force in Darfur, has deployed its signal corps force and pledged to send a 1,200-strong contingent to the Sudanese region to complete deployment by end of June.
Source:Xinhua
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