After meeting Sunday with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner , Chadian President Idriss Déby opened the door to the possible deployment of United Nation (UN) or European Union (EU) troops to Chad's volatile eastern region. Yesterday, Kouchner met with Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir. An estimated 234,000 Sudanese refugees have fled the violence in the Darfur region of Sudan and crossed the border into Chad. In addition, Chad is coping with an estimated 150,000 internally displaced persons. The conditions in the camps set up to deal with the refugees have been criticised as inadequate by the aid group, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Refugee camp in Chad. France's newly appointed foreign minister, and co-founder of MSF, Bernard Kouchner, and Chad's President Déby were able to work out some concessions on the use of foreign troops. Following the meeting, Déby was asked by reporters whether he would allow UN or EU military troops to take a role in security and stabilization measures for a humanitarian mission. "Why not," Déby replied. "We have been proposing this to the international community since 2004," said Déby. But Chad's Prime Minister, Delwa Kassiré Koumakoye , commented recently that neighbouring countries may take the use of foreign troops as a threat. Progress in Sudan French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. Following his visit to Chad, Foreign Minister Kouchner traveled to Sudan where he met with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. Sudan has, in the past, rejected the deployment of an international force, and has resisted the use of a UN-African Union (AU) force. During their meeting Monday, al-Bashir told Kouchner that he would only accept troops from Africa. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed some optimism on the issue of troop deployment and acknowledged he received a letter recently from al-Bashir on the matter. As stated in the letter, al-Bashir has accepted in principal the idea of a UN-AU force of 23,000 troops to be stationed in Darfur. "I sincerely hope that we will be able to have early resolution of this issue," said Ban.
After meeting Sunday with French Foreign Minister , Chadian President opened the door to the possible deployment of United Nations (UN) or European Union (EU) troops to Chad's volatile eastern region. Yesterday, Kouchner met with Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir. An estimated 234,000 Sudanese refugees have fled the violence in the Darfur region of Sudan and crossed the border into Chad. In addition, Chad is coping with an estimated 150,000 internally displaced persons. The conditions in the camps set up to deal with the refugees have been criticised as inadequate by the aid group, (MSF). Refugee camp in Chad. France's newly appointed foreign minister, and co-founder of MSF, Bernard Kouchner, and Chad's President Déby were able to work out some concessions on the use of foreign troops. Following the meeting, Déby was asked by reporters whether he would allow UN or EU military troops to take a role in security and stabilization measures for a humanitarian mission. "Why not," Déby replied. "We have been proposing this to the international community since 2004," said Déby. But Chad's Prime Minister, , commented recently that neighbouring countries may take the use of foreign troops as a threat. Progress in Sudan Following his visit to Chad, Foreign Minister Kouchner traveled to Sudan where he met with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. Sudan has, in the past, rejected the deployment of an international force, and has resisted the use of a UN-African Union (AU) force. During their meeting Monday, al-Bashir told Kouchner that he would only accept troops from Africa. UN Secretary-General expressed some optimism on the issue of troop deployment and acknowledged he received a letter recently from al-Bashir on the matter. As stated in the letter, al-Bashir has accepted in principal the idea of a UN-AU force of 23,000 troops to be stationed in Darfur. "I sincerely hope that we will be able to have early resolution of this issue," said Ban.
D
Bernard Kouchner
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Idriss Déby
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Nation
Nations
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Médecins Sans Frontières
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Delwa Kassiré Koumakoye
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French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.
D
Ban Ki-moon