Britain introduced a Security Council resolution Wednesday that would give a green light for the United Nations to begin preparing for a peacekeeping operation in Sudan. The draft resolution welcomes the signing on May 24 of three landmark agreements between the government and rebels on power-sharing and the administration of three disputed areas in central Sudan. The agreements cleared up the last remaining political issues needed for a final accord to end the 21-year civil war. But the two sides must still negotiate details of a comprehensive cease-fire and a final peace deal and work out how it will be implemented. | After which some Janjaweed guys will blow it all to hell and they'll start over. |
Secretary-General Kofi Annan said after the accords were signed that the United Nations is ready to contribute to peace efforts as well as implementation of the final agreement. He is expected to submit a report to the Security Council this week outlining possible U.N. contributions to the effort and the expected US payments for same. U.S. Deputy Ambassador Stuart Holliday said he expects the Security Council to adopt the resolution Friday or Monday. "This resolution would serve as a green light for the United Nations to begin planning and preparing for a peacekeeping operation with a monitoring mission," he told The Associated Press. While the United States and the United Nations welcome the approaching end to the war, relief workers are racing against the clock to keep hundreds of thousands from perishing in Sudan's western Darfur region, where a related separate conflict has been raging. On Wednesday, the head of the World Health Organization urged more effort by governments to ward off looming epidemics in the region, and Sudan's government said relief organizations are now free to enter Darfur after notifying authorities. "Tell us exactly where you'll be so we can terrorize your workers and steal all the supplies assist you. |
Sudan's announcement, a change from rules set up in May that required first applying for travel authorization that would never be granted, was apparently part of the government's efforts to hinder streamline humanitarian aid and a response to complaints of intentional delays and intentional lack of full cooperation from the government. Holliday said if there is no improvement in the human rights and humanitarian situation in Darfur, "we would reserve the right ... to bring that into the council." | Oh yeah, that'll put the fear of God in 'em. |
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