Security Council Welcomes Sudan's New Government

Security Council Welcomes Sudan's New Government, Urges Settlement for Darfur

New York, Jul 14 2005 3:00PM

The United Nations Security Council today encouraged the Presidency of Sudan's newly inaugurated Government of National Unity and other parties to take urgent steps to resolve the crisis in Darfur through peaceful means, and to be prepared to make decisive progress when talks between the Government and rebel factions resume in August.

In a statement to the press delivered by Council President Adamantios Vassilakis of Greece, which holds the presidency of the 15-nation body for the month, members welcomed the "historic" inauguration on 9 July of the Sudanese unity government, following a peace agreement with southern rebels, but stressed that for lasting peace, there must be an end to the two-year-old conflict in Darfur, which has killed at least 180,000 people and displaced nearly 2 million others.

On 5 July in Abuja, Nigeria, Sudanese government officials and Darfur's two main rebel groups - the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) - signed a preliminary agreement aimed at ending the Darfur conflict. Those talks are set to resume in late August.

It its statement, the Council welcomed that agreement, reiterated its support for the ongoing efforts of the African Union Mission in Darfur, and welcomed increased international assistance in building up the presence on the ground.

"The members of the Council look forward to the speedy establishment of the complete interim Government of National Unity and to the full and inclusive implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which will include, inter alia, agreement on the Constitution of Southern Sudan, appointment of a Government of Southern Sudan, and setting up the Assessment and Evaluation Commission to oversee implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement," Ambassador Vassilakis said.

ENDS

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