14 May 2002
Fact Sheet on the Danforth Report, Peace in Sudan
(Danforth says war unwinnable; now is time for settlement) (350)
Following is a fact sheet from the White House May 14 regarding the
Danforth Report to President Bush about peace prospects for Sudan:
(begin fact sheet)
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary May 14, 2002
FACT SHEET
-- History of Senator John Danforth as Envoy for Peace in Sudan
-- The President named Senator Danforth his Envoy for Peace in Sudan
on September 6, 2001.
-- Senator Danforth undertook two missions to Sudan and the region (in
November 2001 and January 2002), and one mission (in December 2001) to
consult directly with key European partners (the UK, Norway, and
Italy).
-- Senator Danforth based his findings on four indicators of the
resolve and ability of the parties to pursue peace:
-- Their ability to achieve a cease-fire in the highly-contested Nuba
Mountains region;
-- Their willingness to cooperate with an internationally-sponsored
commission to investigate the ongoing practice of slavery in Sudan;
-- Their agreeing to the establishment of "zones of tranquility" to
allow for emergency humanitarian interventions; and
-- Their agreeing to allow international monitors to investigate
attacks on civilians.
Report's Key Findings and Recommendations
-- Because the war is not winnable by either side, now is the time for
a settlement.
-- The parties' response to the above indicators was mixed. But
Senator Danforth concludes that the parties are capable of taking
steps necessary to reach a negotiated settlement.
-- The United States cannot impose an agreement on Sudan. Rather, the
parties themselves must reach agreements on key issues, including
guarantees of freedom of religion, governance, and use of revenues.
-- While the parties are able to reach agreement on contentious
issues, the difficulty of achieving such agreements underscores the
necessity for outside intermediaries.
-- The United States should not establish its own peace initiative.
Instead, the United States should act as a catalyst and should pursue
peace in Sudan with and through the ongoing regional peace initiative
currently being led by Kenya.
-- Humanitarian assistance to Sudan should continue to be a high
priority for U.S. foreign policy.
(end fact sheet)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
