Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-09-27-Speech-3-224"
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"en.20060927.20.3-224"2
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".
Mr President, Mrs Lehtomäki, as everyone is aware, we are at a critical moment in Darfur.
The humanitarian tragedy is continuing and even worsening, resulting in more death and suffering. Darfur is liable at any moment to lapse back into all-out war, with unpredictable and incalculable consequences for the stability of both the country and the region. The peace in the south of Sudan could be jeopardised. Several neighbouring countries, such as Chad, the Central African Republic and Uganda, and even countries further afield, such as Somalia and the Republic of Congo, could be forced to suffer the effects of this. Although we are at the height of the crisis, there is still a chance to avoid the worst of it, and to restore peace and stability.
The Commission takes a positive view of the decision taken by the African Union to extend its mandate until 31 December. That will help prevent a security vacuum in Darfur, at a time when violence is erupting once again and when the process launched by the Abuja peace agreements is at a standstill.
We regret, however, that the Sudanese Government has not yet accepted Security Council Resolution 1706, which defines the framework within which the African Union’s military responsibilities would be transferred to the United Nations. It must be pointed out that the African Union itself had already decided on this transfer back in March. The Commission regards this transfer as key to the restoration of peace in Darfur. It is therefore important to convince Khartoum to accept it. There can be no peace in Darfur if Khartoum does not agree to the transfer, and especially not if it opposes it. Khartoum has denounced this transfer by speaking of a plot devised by the West. At times, there has also been talk of a Zionist plot.
This is unfounded. There is no agenda on the part of the international community to undermine Sudanese sovereignty or, worse still, to overthrow the Sudanese regime. This shows just how urgent it is, on both sides, to succeed in swiftly re-establishing a calm dialogue on Darfur and on the issue of the transfer, in order to resolve the misunderstandings that could still exist in relation to this matter. That is the main purpose of the current intense diplomatic activity in which the Commission is taking part.
Let us remember that the aim of the transfer of responsibilities from the African Union to the United Nations is to restore security and stability in Darfur, as well as to protect its civilians and to enable the humanitarian organisations to carry out their work. It must be pointed out that 13 humanitarian workers have been killed over the last few months. This transfer is key to restoring a climate of confidence among the protagonists and to enabling the Abuja peace agreement genuinely to be relaunched for Darfur; to making the non-signatory States sign; to supporting the actual implementation of the agreement; and to preventing the structure resulting from the North-South peace agreement from being undermined. All of these aspects are also in Khartoum’s interests.
The present excessive talk, like the increased fighting, lead nowhere. Those extremists who think they can win by following the worst-case scenario and radicalisation approach are mistaken. They are greatly mistaken. This approach can only backfire on them. The conclusions of the last General Affairs Council send out a very clear and very firm message both to the rebels and to Khartoum regarding their own responsibility.
The Commission believes that there is still a possibility of de-escalation and a space in which a genuine dialogue can be resumed. It is important to act quickly, however, before this space closes up. It is in this frame of mind and with a desire to listen that Mr Barroso of the European Commission and my fellow Commissioner, Mr Michel, intend shortly to travel to Khartoum and meet President Bashir with the aim of taking forward the process of transition from the African Union to the United Nations and of relaunching the Abuja peace process."@en1
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