North-south accord key to peace in Sudan, Zoellick says
Sudan-USA, Politics, 4/18/2005

The North-South Accord provides a "key framework" for solving the multifaceted problems in Sudan, and the United States stands ready to help that nation deal with its problems as it moves toward a national unity government, Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick told reporters April 14.

Speaking at a press conference in Khartoum on the first stop of a visit to Sudan that will take him to Rumbek in the South and Darfur in the West, Zoellick said President Bush and Secretary of State Rice had asked him to travel to Sudan to underscore the U.S. government's strong commitment to help the Sudanese people and to express "our strong belief that the North-South Accord" provides the structure to achieve that end.

Zoellick attended an international donors' conference in Oslo, Norway, April 11 and 12, where the United States pledged almost $2 billion in financial aid for Sudan.Ê The United States, he told reporters, is backing its rhetoric "with very serious financial support and serious diplomatic commitment.Ê But to be successful in doing that," he cautioned, "we're going to have to turn around the situation in Darfur.

"We're also making a rather strong diplomatic commitment ... with countries in Europe and others around the world.Ê So we are starting that process of supporting the North-South Accord right now by trying to build infrastructure," he added.

Zoellick said that as part of that process, he is traveling to Rumbek while in Sudan to hold talks with Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) leader John Garang.

"We think that the North-South Accord has the potential to be an historic accord, not only for North-South relations but for all of Sudan and, we hope, for this part of Africa," Zoellick said.

At the same time, he added, the United States has emphasized that "if the government of Khartoum is associated with terrible loss of life in Darfur, it will be very difficult for my government and others" to maintain the level of support they have pledged.

It is necessary for the United States and the other donors "to be very clear, to say that while we are very committed to the North-South Accord and while we want to try to help with that peaceful reconciliation, we cannot ignore tens of thousands of people dying, being killed or being displaced from their homes" in Darfur, Zoellick said.

At the same time, Zoellick expressed his hope that "we're now moving É to a national unity government, which É will also help effect the process."

While in Khartoum, Zoellick held separate talks with a broad range of people: officials from the U.S. mission; representatives from the SPLM; and officials of the Sudanese government, including First Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, with whom he had met in Oslo.Ê Zoellick told reporters he expected to meet with tribal leaders from Darfur as well.

Zoellick said that while he is in Sudan "conveying messages," he is also "trying to listen and learn the perspectives of different actors in this struggle and conflict."

Thus far, he explained, his talks have revealed that both the SPLM and the government "are very much focused on trying to achieve the first step" in a national unity government -- the establishment of a national constitutional review commission.

"They then want to try to develop the interim constitution.Ê There's been a lot of work done on the interim constitution, but both the government and the SPLM are trying to expand that discussion to all the parties in Sudan to make it a truly inclusive process -- and then trying to complete the government of national unity, if possible, by late July," he said.

The importance of this process cannot be overemphasized, the deputy secretary said, as part of an effort to overcome what is at least a 22-year-old struggle between North and South and to deal with other issues in Sudan, particularly Darfur.

This accord represents "the opportunity that I described in Oslo as the positive or upward spiral, which, if we can create the right political context [and] support from the United States and others, É can help create a framework for further development in Sudan," he said.

He reminded everyone that there are only a few weeks before the rainy season starts in Sudan and thus there is a "pressing need" to get more food stockpiled in the camps in preparation for the bad weather.

Besides visiting Khartoum and Rumbek, Zoellick is also expected to visit Darfur and view conditions there firsthand before leaving Sudan.

Previous Stories:
  Zoellick meets with Garang, visits Darfur   (4/16/2005)
  US links aid to Sudan to end of brutal acts   (4/14/2005)
  U.S. pressing for allied assistance at Sudan donors' conference   (4/9/2005)

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