Sudan called on to accept UN troops
20/10/2006 - 21:45:44European Union leaders today called on Sudan to accept a UN peacekeeping force in the western region of Darfur.
“The UN operation is the only viable and realistic option for peacekeeping in Darfur,” Finnish prime minister Matti Vanhanen said at a news conference during a one-day summit of European leaders. “We are all very deeply concerned about the situation.”
The UN Security Council has called for a UN force of 20,000 in Darfur, but not without the consent of Sudan’s government.
However, Sudan repeatedly has resisted such a force, saying it would violate national sovereignty and could ignite anti-Western sentiment in the largely Muslim region.
An underfunded, undermanned and under-equipped African Union peacekeeping force has been unable to quell violence in Darfur.
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