Security Council Gives Sudan One Week to Allow UN Assessment Team into Darfur
16 May 2006
The United Nations Security Council has unanimously passed a resolution giving Sudan's government one week to allow an assessment team into the troubled Darfur region.
The team would prepare for the U.N. to take over an African Union-led peacekeeping mission currently in Darfur.
The resolution also threatens "strong and effective measures" against anyone who stands in the way of the Darfur peace accord which was signed May 5 by Sudan's government and the largest rebel group, the Sudanese Liberation Movement.
On Monday, Sudan's government renewed its opposition to the deployment of United Nations peacekeepers in its western region, saying the Darfur peace agreement signed earlier this month does not mention U.N. forces.
Sudan's Foreign Minister Lam Akol said his government is ready to give the United Nations a role in the region, but is determined to keep the Darfur peacekeeping program within the African Union.
There are roughly 7,000 African Union security forces in Darfur.
Two rebel groups have not signed the peace accord, the Justice and Equality Movement and a faction of the SLM. The AU has given them until the end of the month to sign it or face the threat of international sanctions.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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