[allAfrica.com]  [Africa_2004]


EU Team Visits Obasanjo Over Darfur Crisis

Daily Champion (Lagos)
NEWS
October 16, 2004
Posted to the web October 18, 2004

By Lere Ojedokun
Abuja
PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday in Abuja briefed a delegation of
Ambassadors of the European Union (EU), United States, Canada and Australia on
the situation in Darfur, Sudan.
Led by the Ambassador of Netherlands to Nigeria, Mr. Aart Verdegaal, the
President told the delegation at State House that the All-Stakeholders Talks on
Darfur earlier slated for Abuja had to be switched to Tripoli, Libya to secure
the attendance of neighbouring countries whose cooperation was crucial to
lasting peace in Darfur.
He said that beefing up the troops on ground in Darfur to the required figure
of 4,500, had preoccupied AU attention, noting that a battalion from Rwanda
would be on ground in Darfur by Sunday, October 17, while the balance of
Nigeria's one battalion would be in Darfur by October 30.
President Obasanjo said that he expected three other countries to supply three
battalions by the end of October, while the full complement of troops including
the police would be on ground by November ending.
On the new government in Somalia inaugurated Thursday in Nairobi, Kenya, the
President noted that at least three battalions would be required to urgently
embark on disarmament, demobilisation, recruitment and training of recruits for
a new national army of Somalia and for effective functioning of the new
government.
He argued the European Union, the United States, Canada and Australia to
provide the necessary logistics support for African countries that would
volunteer troops in Somalia. The delegation had called for the extension of the
African Union (AU) Mission mandate in Darfur and an increase in the number of
military observers, pledging to provide assistance.

   

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