Sudan situation 'troubling'
2006-09-06 07:33
Washington - The United States called the situation in Sudan "troubling" in the wake of Khartoum's vow to ask the African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur to leave while massing its own troops in the region.
The Sudanese government said on Monday that it would ask the African Mission in Sudan, or AMIS, to leave Darfur by the end of the month if the AU confirmed that it was no longer able to continue the mission.
On Tuesday, Sudan's minister of state for foreign affairs El-Wasilla Al Samani questioned whether there was suffering in Darfur - where up to 300 000 people had been killed in a civil war since 2002.
He said: "It is not the United Nations that is going to solve the suffering, if there is suffering there", repeating Khartoum's adamant opposition to a UN force.
UN deploys 20 000 forces
State department spokesperson Sean McCormack said: "Certainly, the situation is troubling.
"My understanding is that this refusal to allow in a UN force, as well as asking the AMIS force to leave, has not been officially conveyed to any of the international partners. So, we would hope that that is not, in fact, the position of the Sudan government."
The statements by Sudan were fresh acts of defiance after the UN security council resolution last Thursday to deploy up to 20 000 forces to replace the ill-equipped AU forces.
McCormack said: "Certainly, it's very troubling, the reports of a build-up by the Sudanese army."
He said the foreign countries backing the placement of a UN force in Darfur would like Khartoum's consent to do so.
McCormack said: "But, as the resolution makes clear, it (consent) is invited, but not necessary."