| The U.S. special envoy for Sudan, Andrew | | | | Sudan, the U.N. Security Council last |
| Natsios, says he is encouraged by the | | | | week approved a resolution authorizing a |
| agreement reached Monday by eight Darfur | | | | force of 26,000 U.N. and African Union |
| rebel groups on a common platform for | | | | peacekeepers to replace a beleaguered |
| peace talks with the Sudanese | | | | 7,000 member A.U. mission, in Darfur |
| government. Formal negotiations between | | | | since 2004. |
| the Khartoum government and the rebels | | | | The handover of authority from the |
| are expected to begin in October. VOA's | | | | African Union to the hybrid force is to |
| David Gollust reports the State | | | | occur by December 31, though Natsios |
| Department. | | | | said he hopes that a U.N. command |
| Much of the focus of international | | | | structure and a funding mechanism for |
| diplomacy on Darfur has been on | | | | the new force, expected to cost $2 |
| assembling an upgraded international | | | | billion a year, will be in place well |
| peacekeeping force for the troubled | | | | before year's end. |
| region. | | | | The mission will be led by a Nigerian |
| But Natsios says the only way to end the | | | | commander and, at the insistence of |
| Darfur crisis is through a political | | | | Sudan, will be largely African. But |
| settlement, and thus he is "very | | | | Natsios said it is already apparent that |
| encouraged" by the deal struck Monday in | | | | non-African troops will have to be used |
| Arusha, Tanzania among rebel groups on a | | | | to round out the peacekeeping force, |
| common platform in advance of peace | | | | which will be one of the largest in U.N. |
| talks with the government. | | | | history. |
| In a telephone conference call with | | | | "I think there is an understanding by |
| State Department reporters, the U.S. | | | | the Sudanese government that we're going |
| envoy called the Arusha agreement, and | | | | to have to go outside Africa," said |
| last week's unanimous U.N. Security | | | | Natsios. "This is a sensitive issue |
| Council resolution on Darfur | | | | internally within certain constituencies |
| peacekeeping, "critical turning points" | | | | of the Sudanese government, and so |
| in the conflict. | | | | they're going to keep repeating these |
| "The Arusha meeting that just concluded | | | | things." |
| a couple days ago in Tanzania was, I | | | | "But an agreement has been reached, and |
| think, a reenergizing of the political | | | | we expect that the Sudanese government |
| process, and now will begin a formal | | | | is going to implement what they've |
| sequencing of events that I hope will | | | | agreed to, which is that if we can't get |
| lead to a political settlement," said | | | | sufficient trained troops, we will go |
| Natsios. | | | | outside of Africa, which I have to say I |
| "The only way the crisis in Darfur is | | | | expect is going to happen," he added. |
| going to be resolved is through a | | | | Natsios said he does not think Sudan |
| political settlement. In many respects | | | | will renege on the peacekeeping |
| the purpose of the peacekeeping force, | | | | understanding but he noted that if it |
| beyond protection of the civilians and | | | | does, President Bush has already made |
| non-combatants and the relief effort, is | | | | clear the United States would pursue new |
| to implement a peace settlement. In fact | | | | U.N. sanctions against Khartoum. |
| that's specifically called for in the | | | | He said the United States, under the |
| resolution," he continued. | | | | U.N. assessment system, will pay more |
| Natsios, who last visited Sudan three | | | | than one-fourth of the cost of the |
| weeks ago, said he believes Sudanese | | | | Darfur force and may also provide some |
| authorities are prepared to be flexible | | | | logistical support, as it did for the |
| in the October negotiations, even though | | | | African Union deployment. But he said he |
| the Khartoum government has said it is | | | | cannot envisage American troops being |
| not prepared to renegotiate terms of the | | | | part of the U.N. mission, largely |
| Darfur peace deal it signed with some | | | | because Sudan would not consider the |
| rebel factions in Nigeria in May last | | | | United States a neutral party. |
| year. | | | | The conflict in Darfur began in early |
| The fractious Darfur rebels, in their | | | | 2003 when local rebels took up arms |
| unity accord this week brokered by U.N. | | | | against the government. Khartoum |
| Special Envoy Jan Eliasson and his | | | | responded by backing Arab militia allies |
| African Union counterpart Salim Ahmed | | | | in a scorched earth campaign in the |
| Salim, agreed on a common approach on | | | | western region that led to the deaths of |
| power, wealth-sharing and land and | | | | at least 200,000 people and displaced |
| humanitarian issues. | | | | more than 2 million more. |
| After months of bitter negotiations with | | | | |