Washington rules out military option on Sudan; sanctions are before the UN Security Council
Sudan-USA, Politics, 7/28/2004

The Sudanese government has announced a state of general political and strategic alert in all its governmental departments and vowed to strongly resist any plans to send international forces to Darfur. A matter which was ruled out by the US secretary of state Colin Powell whose country is expected to call within hours for voting over a draft resolution imposing sanctions on Khartoum despite the objection of several countries of the Security Council to that.

Sudan's minister of agriculture, who is the chairman of the negotiating delegation with Darfur rebels, Majzoub al-Khaleifa said following the emergency meeting of the Cabinet on Tuesday chaired by the Sudanese Vice President Ali Othman Taha that the government will start " as from now in strengthening its political address in rejecting any foreign intervention and to notifying the international community to rejecting interference in Darfur's affairs." He said that the " government will meet appropriately each and every foreign soldier who comes to Sudan."

The Sudasnese foreign minister Mustafa Othman Ismael announced in conclusion of his visit to Turkey " we do not seek confrontation. We do hope that sanctions will not be imposed on us." He added " if we are attacked we will not sit silent.. eventually we do hope we will not reach such a situation." Ismael said that Khartoum is dismantling al-Jangaweid weapons ( the Arab militias which are accused of acts of killing and stealing against the African tribes.) But the Arab militias will not hand over its weapons unless the rebels do so. He said that Khartoum does not oppose the existence of foreign observers in Darfur for monitoring the cease fire, but sending armed observers to the region is not necessary.

Meantime, the US secretary of state Colin Powell said it is premature to discuss a military intervention in Darfur after the British army chief of staff Mike Jackson said on Saturday that his country can provide 5000 soldiers whenever it is necessary.

Previous Stories:
  Khartoum rejects Washington's allegations over extermination in Darfur   (7/24/2004)
  American draft resolution to impose sanctions on Sudan   (7/23/2004)
  Washington, London pressure, the UN interferes, Khartoum accuses the Americans of foiling the negotiations   (7/22/2004)

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