”
against Sudan because of its growing oil reserves, as there are no
signs of highly-touted claims of genocide in the Arab country.
Arab
League Secretary General Amr Moussa announced that the organization
had reached agreement with the United Nations and the Sudanese
government to be part of a team monitoring Khartoum's compliance with
the UNSC resolution.
The
so-called Joint Implementation Mechanism was set up during a visit to
Sudan last month by UN chief Kofi Annan to insure that Khartoum was
doing everything in its power to calm the situation in Darfur.
Under
the deal, Khartoum agreed to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid,
rein in the pro-government militias and begin negotiations with Darfur
rebels on ending the conflict.
Khartoum
has notably agreed to disarm the Janjaweed, and an African Union (AU)
team backed by 300 security personnel is already monitoring a shaky
truce.
Following
Sunday meeting, Moussa further said the Arab League would also send a
group of observers to the region to join the AU ceasefire monitors.
“Our
African countries that are members in the Arab League will participate
actively with the team monitoring the ceasefire, and perhaps, in an
African protection force,” he said.
Sudanese
Foreign Minister Mustafa Othman Ismail said at the meeting, attended
by 13 Arab League Foreign Ministers, that his country had enough
troops of its own, with 40,000 deployed in Darfur.
“We
do not need non-Sudanese troops. We need observers and maybe troops to
protect them,” he said. “What we ask for is to reinforce the means
of the government.”
The
two rebel movements, the Movement for Justice and Equality and the
Sudanese Liberation Army, have agreed to resume talks with Khartoum
August 23 in the Nigerian capital Abuja under AU auspices.
Annan
must submit a report to the Security Council at the end of August on
the situation in Darfur.
