Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on Tuesday urged all the
concerned parties in Sudan to seize the opportunity and bring peace
and stability to the country.
Addressing Security Council's ministerial meeting on the Sudan
issue, Li noted that achievement of peace in Sudan has demonstrated
once again that with the support of the international community,
African problems can be solved through political negotiations by
relying on the wisdom of the Africans, using African ways and under
African leadership.
He strongly urged the Sudanese factions that have not yet signed
the peace agreement to seize the opportunity and make a prompt and
right response to the requirement set out by the African Union.
The minister said strengthening African Union Mission in Sudan
(AMIS) is the consensus of all Security Council members and the
international community as a whole, and the top priority at present
is to turn that consensus into reality, helping strengthen its
capacity, and laying a good foundation for implementing the peace
agreement.
He expressed the belief that the Sudanese government and various
factions in Darfur will cherish the current opportunity and speed
up consultations and cooperation with the UN to ensure the smooth
and comprehensive implementation of the peace agreement. Stressing
the sole purpose of a UN operation in Darfur is to assist the
Sudanese government and various factions in the region to implement
the peace accord.
Therefore, consent and cooperation of the Sudanese government
are prerequisites for the deployment of a UN operation, Li
said.
The Chinese minister reiterated China's readiness to work with
all others and try their best to help Sudan realize peace,
stability, prosperity and development at an early date and help the
country build up a harmonious society in which all factions coexist
in peace and the people enjoy security and well-being.
The Sudanese government and the main faction of the Sudanese
Liberation Movement (SLM), one of the two rebel groups in Darfur
signed a peace agreement in Abuja last Friday. But two rebel groups
have rejected the accord backed by the African Union, United
States, Britain, the European Union and the Arab League and skipped
the signing ceremony in a hall at a Nigerian presidential
villa.
(Xinhua News Agency May 10, 2006)
