جمهورية السودان - وزارة الخارجية

Sudan’s cooperation produces major breakthrough Pakistan Observer - Darfur : Sudan’s cooperation produces major breakthrough -

The flexibility of the Government of Sudan and the will of the Sudanese President ‎Gen. Omar Al-Bashir to find a peaceful settlement to the humanitarian issue of ‎Darfur has produced a deal. Under the so-called UN “heavy support package ‎‎“Khartoum would cooperate with African Union (AU) and United-nations in ‎providing technical assistance to AU peacemakers including logistic support and ‎helicopters. With this tripartite mechanism, it is hoped that ways and means would ‎be explored to find a durable settlement to this issue.‎ ‎ So far, there is a tremendous goodwill and optimism on the deal. On April 16, ‎‎2007, the UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon welcomed the agreement. Ki-‎moon described the agreement “very positive” and urged the UN Security Council, ‎international community and AU to continue their efforts to strengthen political ‎process and to facilitate all peace agreements. Ki-moon also paid rich tributes to all ‎mediators who helped achieve this landmark including the Government of Sudan, ‎AU Chairman Omar Konare, King Abdulla of Saudi Arabia, Arab League, the ‎leaders of United States, China, South Africa, Libya and Eritrea.‎ ‎ Evidently, such agreement would not have been possible without the willingness ‎and seriousness of the Government of Sudan to establish peace and security in ‎Darfur and to solve the conflict through peaceful means. This should also expose the ‎false propaganda by Western media against the Government of Sudan. ‎Interestingly, all members of UNSC commended Sudan for accepting the heavy ‎support package. Chinese representative noticed, “The deal nullifies any sanctions ‎against Sudan.” The Russian representative called upon international community to ‎pursue the political process and to urge other rebel factions to join the peace ‎process. Representatives of other members in the UNSC including Indonesia, Qatar, ‎Congo, Ghana, and Italy showed similar sentiments.‎ ‎ In his meeting with the African Group in New York, Kunare called upon them ‎and international community to exercise pressure on the rebel groups to join the ‎peace process. Therefore an international consensus is emerging. It warrants that all ‎factions should be on board and that the only way to resolve this issue is through ‎negotiations and not through more wars and bloodshed. ‎ ‎ Ultimately, the pragmatic policy of the Government of Sudan has frustrated all ‎attempts by vested interests to isolate Khartoum and to impose sanctions against the ‎Sudanese people. Now, the UN, AU, Arab League and the international community ‎should cooperate together to frustrate the war-mongers by generously financing this ‎process.‎ ‎ Viewing the Darfur issue, one would identify some major flaw in the peace ‎process. Earlier the western main players were not sincere in resolving the problem. ‎Their objective was to malign Sudan and mobilize the world public opinion against ‎it. This reading is based on the fact that the western mediators were exercising ‎pressure on only one party, Sudan, while they failed to use any pressure against the ‎rebels. Ironically the leaders of the rebel factions were enjoying luxurious life in ‎London, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and Asmara. These warlords ignored the ‎sufferings of millions of people. All these victims have to suffer because of Western ‎political agenda or due to the obstinacy, indifference of the leaders of the rebel ‎factions, who were used as puppets by vested interests.‎ ‎ One should give also credit to a reasonable and neutral UN Secretary General ‎Mr. Ban Ki-moon, who has been a moderating factor and whose personal interest ‎has produced the breakthrough.‎ ‎ Another leader that should be specifically mentioned is the President of Eritrea ‎Mr. Isaias Afewerki, who is engaged in a backdoor diplomacy that aims at bringing ‎the rest of the rebels to the negotiating table.‎