U.S. and European Media

December 18 , 2007

Xinhua: Sudanese gov't supports transfer of peacekeeping mission in Darfur to hybrid force by year-end. Sudanese Presidential Assistant Nafie Ali Nafie on Monday highlighted the government's support for the transfer of peacekeeping mission in the western region of Darfur from the African Union (AU) force to a hybrid AU-U.N. force within this year. Nafie made the remarks to reporters at the end of his meeting with AU-U.N. Joint Special Representative Rodolphe Adada. Nafie disclosed that they discussed steps to be taken to ensure the transfer of peacekeeping mission in the conflict-torn Darfur region by Dec. 31. "I believe that the transfer would be finished according to what has been agreed upon with a full cooperation, facility and smoothness," the Sudanese official told the media. Adada appreciated the support of the Sudanese government for the transfer of the peacekeeping mission, noting that it would help complete the transfer peacefully and successfully. The meeting came in the wake of an attack by four unidentified armed men on Military Chief of Staff of the AU peacekeeping force near a camp of the AU force in El Fashir on Dec. 14. The chief of staff survived the attack, but the attackers hijacked a vehicle and injured the driver. Sudanese police recovered the vehicle and handed it over to the AU peacekeeping force.

Reuters: Sudan Coalition Government to Reunite on Dec. 27. Sudan's former southern rebels will rejoin the national government on December 27, a presidential spokesman said on Tuesday, formally ending the crisis which threatened to tear Africa's largest country apart. The former southern rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) withdrew from the coalition government formed after a landmark 2005 peace accord in October in protest, saying their northern peace partners were reluctant to implement the deal. "The SPLM ministers will be sworn in on December 27 and there will also be a meeting of the council of ministers (cabinet) on that day," Mahjoub Fadul, the president's press adviser told Reuters. The two partners announced political agreement on all issues last week except the status of the oil-rich central Abyei region which is disputed between the two sides. The SPLM estimates oil revenues from Abyei since the deal to be at least $1 billion and accuses the northern National Congress Party of taking it all. Sudan produces at least 500,000 barrels per day of crude. Under the deal the SPLM should get around 50 percent of all oil revenue from wells in the south. But the north-south border, the area where much of Sudan's oil is found, is also disputed.

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