'Actions louder than words'
2005-06-24 14:50
Washington - Deputy United States (US) secretary of state Robert Zoellick on Thursday met Sudan's foreign minister Mustafa Osman Ismail, on a rare visit to Washington, and sought firm action to stop violence in the Darfur region.
Ismail told Zoellick "we are looking to results in Sudan and actions speak more loudly than words," said deputy state department spokesperson Adam Ereli.
Ismail's visit to the state department on Thursday is seen as significant, especially after Washington had accused his government of fuelling "genocide" in Darfur.
After the 90-minute meeting on Thursday, Ismail is scheduled to meet with secretary of state Condoleezza Rice on Friday.
Zoellick "stressed the need for the government of Sudan to take action and all sides to take action to halt the violence", Ereli said, adding the Abuja peace process was among key topics.
Overcoming hurdles that stall peace talks
African Union (AU) mediators and parties in the Darfur conflict have set up a working committee specifically to get past differences that have stalled full peace talks in Nigerian capital Abuja for almost two weeks.
The fifth round of the AU-mediated talks to end the ruinous civil war has been deadlocked over rebel opposition to a mediation role for neighbouring Chad, thus halting the adoption of a key peace declaration by warring parties.
Zoellick and Ismail discussed the "importance of continued support" for humanitarian aid and for the expansion of an AU peacekeeping force and the importance of removing any impediments to the expansion of that force.
The AU has 3 320 troops in Darfur and the number is set to double by the end of September, before ultimately reaching 12 000 soldiers. They have been acclaimed as stemming some of the violence there.
A ceasefire, concluded in April last year, has never been respected.
On the humanitarian front, Zoellick underlined the need to Ismail to protect the internally-displaced people in camps around Khartoum, Ereli said.
Zoellick noted the Sudanese government had dropped charges against two Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) personnel, whose arrests provoked international criticism.
Finalising an interim constitution
Zoellick and Ismail also discussed the North-South issue in Sudan and steps being taken to finalise an interim constitution and to set up a government of national unity.
An agreement ending nearly two decades of conflict in the south that left more than 1.5 million people dead and displaced some four million was signed recently and called for the passing of a constitution to govern the country during a six-year interim period.
The Washington meeting looked into the implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement and efforts to facilitate South-South reconciliation, Ereli said.
Zoellick, who has made two visits to Sudan in recent months, talked about the possibility of his going to Khartoum for the July 9 inauguration of the government of national unity.