Ban: Sudan’s support ‘crucial’

KHARTOUM – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said yesterday that time was critical and the Sudanese government’s co-operation ‘essential’ to successfully deploying a new peacekeeping force in war-torn Darfur.

Ban said Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir responded positively and reassured the UN leader that his government was ready to co-operate. According to Ban: “Time is of the essence.And the government’s co-operation is essential on a range of practical matters.”President Bashir affirmed his commitment and readiness to facilitate all necessary administrative and logistical support, and I appreciate his willingness to co-operate fully.”Ban met with al-Bashir over dinner on Monday at the start of his first trip to Sudan since taking the reins of the UN in January.On Monday, Ban said the international community had stood by for too long “as seemingly helpless witness to this tragedy”.But things were changing after the UN Security Council’s approval of the first joint African Union-United Nations force and stepped-up efforts to get all rebel groups and the government back to the peace table, he said.Ban added: “Everyone agrees that there is no military solution.We need a cease-fire now.”He was speaking to the UN Association of Sudan soon after his arrival on a weeklong trip that would also take him to Chad and Libya.Ban singled out UN envoy Jan Eliasson in the audience, and his AU counterpart Salim Ahmed Salim, saying they had been busy trying to get the splintered Darfur rebel movements to peace talks as fast as the AU-UN ‘hybrid’ force moved to deploy.Nampa-APAccording to Ban: “Time is of the essence.And the government’s co-operation is essential on a range of practical matters.”President Bashir affirmed his commitment and readiness to facilitate all necessary administrative and logistical support, and I appreciate his willingness to co-operate fully.”Ban met with al-Bashir over dinner on Monday at the start of his first trip to Sudan since taking the reins of the UN in January.On Monday, Ban said the international community had stood by for too long “as seemingly helpless witness to this tragedy”.But things were changing after the UN Security Council’s approval of the first joint African Union-United Nations force and stepped-up efforts to get all rebel groups and the government back to the peace table, he said.Ban added: “Everyone agrees that there is no military solution.We need a cease-fire now.”He was speaking to the UN Association of Sudan soon after his arrival on a weeklong trip that would also take him to Chad and Libya.Ban singled out UN envoy Jan Eliasson in the audience, and his AU counterpart Salim Ahmed Salim, saying they had been busy trying to get the splintered Darfur rebel movements to peace talks as fast as the AU-UN ‘hybrid’ force moved to deploy.Nampa-AP