The United States would not dispatch troops to Sudan, nor is
there any plan of deploying NATO forces in Darfur, US envoy to
Sudan Andrew Natsios said on Tuesday.
In statements to Egypt's official MENA news agency, Natsios said
that the United States would not change its stance on UN resolution
1706 on the deployment of international peacekeeping forces in
Darfur under the UN umbrella, nor would it dispatch any troops to
Sudan.
The US goal in Darfur was to improve the humanitarian situation
through putting an end to the conflict there and repatriation of
refugees, he said.
He said that there was no plan for deploying NATO forces in
Darfur. The NATO would only keep extending logistical assistance as
is the case with the current African troops now being deployed in
the region.
The Khartoum government approved the principle of dispatching
international forces to Darfur but insisted that the forces be
under the command of the African Union, he said.
The UN Security Council passed a resolution on Aug. 31 calling
for the deployment of over 20,000 international peacekeepers to
replace 7,800 AU forces in Darfur after gaining consent from
Sudan.
However, the Sudanese government has rejected the mission
transfer, saying it was a violation of Sudan's sovereignty and an
effort by the West to colonize the African oil producing
country.
Egypt has been firmly supporting Sudan's stance on the
deployment of UN forces, saying that any deployment should first
get approval from the Sudanese government.
(Xinhua News Agency October 25, 2006)
