Chad softened threats to halt oil production and stop sheltering
Sudanese refugees Monday following rebel attacks as the United
States offered to mediate in a dispute with the World Bank.
President Idriss Deby's government pushed back until the end of
April a deadline originally set for midday today for shutting off
oil output by the landlocked central African state in a
disagreement with the World Bank over frozen oil royalties.
Deby, facing attacks against his rule by rebels he says are
backed by neighbor Sudan, also assured the United Nations he would
not forcibly expel more than 200,000 refugees in Chad who have fled
violence in the western Sudanese region of Darfur.
This softened a threat he made on Friday when he cut diplomatic
ties with Sudan and closed the border a day after rebels raided the
Chadian capital N'Djamena in fighting that killed and wounded
several hundred people.
Deby, weakened by coup plots and army desertions, is resisting a
military offensive by insurgents seeking to end his nearly 16-year
rule ahead of a May 3 presidential election in which he is standing
for a third term.
Khartoum denies backing the anti-Deby rebels. But Deby warned
the world on Friday that Chad would no longer shelter Darfur
refugees unless a security solution was found by the end of June
for the conflict-torn Sudanese Darfur region.
This has increased pressure on the United Nations to solve the
three-year-old conflict in Darfur which has allegedly killed tens
of thousands and displaced around 2 million people.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres said
Monday he had spoken to Deby and obtained an assurance that the
Darfur refugees in Chad would not be expelled.
"I ... am pleased to report that he (Deby) has reaffirmed that
refugees will not be 'refouled' (forcibly returned) and Chad will
abide by international principles," Guterres said.
The Chadian Government said it was extending until the end of
this month a deadline given to the World Bank and to a US-led oil
consortium to pay up frozen Chadian oil royalties.
Chad had threatened to stop its 160,000-170,000 barrels per day
(bpd) oil output unless it was paid at least US$100 million.
The government said it was relaxing the deadline because it had
accepted a US Government offer to mediate.
(China Daily April 18, 2006)
