Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir has denied the acceptance of
deploying a hybrid peacekeeping force commanded by the United
Nations in the western Sudanese region of Darfur, local media
reported on Tuesday.
The Alwan daily quoted Bashir as saying that the hybrid
force to be deployed by the UN and the African Union (AU) in Darfur
will be commanded by African and its troops would mainly come from
African countries.
"The agreement signed by Sudan with the AU Peace and Security
Council stipulates appointment of an African commander for the
troops in Darfur," al-Bashir told a meeting of local political
leaders in Medani, the capital of Gezira State in central
Sudan.
He disclosed that a Nigerian general had been chosen for the
post, adding that only technical and civilian personnel could be
sent by non-African countries to join the peacekeeping force
according to the agreement.
A delegation of the UN Security Council announced following
their meetings with Sudanese officials in Khartoum last Sunday that
they had reached an agreement for the hybrid force to be under UN
command.
After meetings with Bashir and Foreign Minister Lam Akol, some
members of the UN delegation said that Sudanese officials had made
an unconditional commitment to the new force.
At a two-day meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa last
week, the AU, the UN and Sudan reached an agreement on the
deployment of the hybrid peacekeeping force in Darfur.
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The Sudanese government has said that it is up to the UN now to
adopt a resolution to finance the 20,000-strong force.
(Xinhua News Agency June 20, 2007)
