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13/09/2004
UK minister to visit crisis-hit Sudan
Foreign Minister Chris Mullan is set to begin a five-day visit to Sudan tomorrow in order to "look in depth at the humanitarian and political situation" in the crisis-hit Darfur region.
Mr Mullin, Minister for Africa, will visit Khartoum, Darfur and the Nuba Mountains, and will meet the Sudanese authorities, anti-government rebel leaders, ceasefire observers and UN Special Representative Jan Pronk and.
Prior to his departure, Mr Mullin said: "The Sudanese government urgently needs to respond to the demands of the International Community to meet its obligations in Darfur and I will be emphasising this to them during my visit.
"I will also be reinforcing the messages that the Foreign Secretary gave to the Sudanese government during his recent visit, including the need to improve security in Darfur and to continue to improve access for humanitarian agencies working to feed displaced people in the region."
Last week, the US government issued a no-nonsense two-pronged demand that the Sudan-bound African Union (AU) security force must be expanded and a UN investigation launched immediately into the "genocide in Darfur".
President George Bush that the US had been "appalled" by the violence in Darfur which has displaced at least 1.2 million people and forced another 200,000 to fled over the border into neighbouring Chad.
UN human rights reports have found that the militias, mainly known as Janjaweed, have carried out murders, rapes and assaults against thousands of civilians, and also destroyed or damaged villagers' homes and cropland.
Urging the world not to "ignore the suffering of more than one million people", Mr Bush said that the US would "continue to help relieve suffering".
(gmcg)
Mr Mullin, Minister for Africa, will visit Khartoum, Darfur and the Nuba Mountains, and will meet the Sudanese authorities, anti-government rebel leaders, ceasefire observers and UN Special Representative Jan Pronk and.
Prior to his departure, Mr Mullin said: "The Sudanese government urgently needs to respond to the demands of the International Community to meet its obligations in Darfur and I will be emphasising this to them during my visit.
"I will also be reinforcing the messages that the Foreign Secretary gave to the Sudanese government during his recent visit, including the need to improve security in Darfur and to continue to improve access for humanitarian agencies working to feed displaced people in the region."
Last week, the US government issued a no-nonsense two-pronged demand that the Sudan-bound African Union (AU) security force must be expanded and a UN investigation launched immediately into the "genocide in Darfur".
President George Bush that the US had been "appalled" by the violence in Darfur which has displaced at least 1.2 million people and forced another 200,000 to fled over the border into neighbouring Chad.
UN human rights reports have found that the militias, mainly known as Janjaweed, have carried out murders, rapes and assaults against thousands of civilians, and also destroyed or damaged villagers' homes and cropland.
Urging the world not to "ignore the suffering of more than one million people", Mr Bush said that the US would "continue to help relieve suffering".
(gmcg)
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