Washington calls on Cairo, the AL to interfere; UN accuses Khartoum of obstructing Darfour relief aid
Sudan-USA, Politics, 2/20/2004

The American envoy for Sudan affairs, Michael Runner Burger, called following his meeting with the secretary general of the Arab league Amr Moussa, the Arab League and the Egyptian government to work together in order to clam down what he called the grave situation in Darfour, to the west of Sudan, as well as encouraging the Sudanese government and the people's movement to work together in order to reach an agreement over pending issues.

The US envoy said that the two sides have strong commitment to reach an agreement during a round of talks that started on Tuesday in Nivasha, Kenya.

Meantime, the UN envoy for humanitarian issues in Sudan, Tom Erick Fraslin, said on Wednesday that the relief employees are unable to reach the majority of displaced who were forced to flee because of the fighting in Darfour. Their number toll one million person.

Fraslin said following a visit to Darfour on Tuesday that the channels to provide aid are still pending, adding that the situation is not safe and that relief teams do not have any facility to enter and the entrances indicated by the government are not open.

The Sudanese president had announced recently that the government restored control on Darfour and that the road to the area is open before relief agencies. A matter which was denied by the rebels.

The UN envoy urged the government and the rebels to start the negotiations and call for immediate cease fire so as to permit the relief agencies to alleviate the crisis in Darfour. Fralsin explained that the security of the employees is not the only obstacle before the distribution of aid, noting that the government does not give permits to the employees to leave the three capitals to Darfour.

For his part, the Sudanese minister of information, al-Zahawi Ibrahim Malik, expressed his hope that the current tour of Nivasha talks between Khartoum and the southern rebels will conclude an agreement for Sudan to invest its oil revenues -- which are expected to reach 600,000 barrels in 2005 -- for the promotion of Darfour and other parts of the country.

Malik explained that Khartoum dedicated actually a loan of 30 million dollars to develop water resources and medical establishments and education in Darfour, but he called on international donors to give more aid.

Previous Stories:
  Inter- Sudanese peace talks resume; al-Turabi: US pressure does not guarantee peace   (2/18/2004)
  American delegation to Khartoum to accelerate peace talks   (2/13/2004)
  Washington urges agreement, Khartoum prefers signature in Africa   (1/14/2004)

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