'Let UN keep peace in Darfur'

2006-03-10 21:56

Addis Ababa - Foreign ministers met at African Union headquarters in Ethiopia on Friday to discuss whether to turn over their peacekeeping mission in Sudan's Darfur region to the United Nations.

The summit, which was expected to last most of the day, comes after the Sudanese government and protesters in Khartoum warned that violence in the troubled region would escalate if African Union peacekeepers were placed under UN command.

European Union, United States and African officials have been urging Sudan to allow a large UN peacekeeping force to replace the current AU mission.

Darfur's conflict, described by the UN as the world's gravest humanitarian crisis, has left more than 180 000 people dead and 2m displaced.

EU remains hopeful

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said in Brussels on Thursday he remained hopeful the AU would agree to transfer their mission to a UN force.

"It is for the leaders who are concerned to take this decision. We hope that the AU will decide to move to a UN mission," Solana said.

Tens of thousands of Sudanese marched through Khartoum on Wednesday, protesting the plan. The Sudanese government has also been lobbying African leaders to keep the peacekeepers under AU command.

"If the UN arrives, the troubles will spread in the region," said Mohamed Elsamani, Sudan's minister of state for foreign affairs.

The 7 000-strong AU force has faced severe funding and logistical problems and its mandate expires at the end of March.

The UN's security council has recommended that the body start planning to take over peacekeeping.

- AP