Sudan tries intimidation, US says, to bar peacekeeping force
UNITED NATIONS -- The United States demanded yesterday that the UN Security Council respond to Sudan's warning that any nation pledging UN troops for Darfur was committing a ``hostile act" and a ``prelude to an invasion."
US Ambassador John Bolton, who called for a special closed-door council session, said he expected the 15-member body to react to what he called Khartoum's attempt to intimidate potential troop contributors.
Sudan's UN mission sent an unsigned letter to dozens of states, many of whom attended a meeting on Sept. 25 on troop and police contributions to a future UN force in Darfur. The UN Security Council has approved the creation of a peacekeeping force of 22,500 for Darfur, but it still exists only on paper. Sudan has rejected such a force.
``In the absence of Sudan's consent to the deployment of UN troops, any volunteering to provide peacekeeping troops to Darfur will be considered as a hostile act, a prelude to an invasion of a member country of the UN," the letter said.
Bolton said he would circulate a statement to all council members later in the day. But this may be difficult, because a statement requires unanimous consent, and Qatar, the only Arab council member, sides with the Sudan government.
``I think they're trying to intimidate troop-contributing countries," Bolton told reporters. ``This is a direct challenge to the authority of the Security Council in its efforts to alleviate the tragedy in Darfur and clearly requires a strong response by the Security Council."
But Council President Kenzo Oshima of Japan said he would speak to Sudan's UN envoy, seek clarification, and convey the opinion of some members that the letter was ``offensive" and ``inappropriate in tonality, in language."
Sudan's letter also said Khartoum ``fully supports" augmenting an African Union force now in Darfur but said again that Khartoum rejected a UN-run operation.
The African Union has 7,000 troops and monitors but has been unable to stop the violence that has driven 2 1/2 million people from their homes and left an estimated 200,000 dead since 2003.
Greece's UN ambassador, Adamantios Vassilakis, who said he had also received Sudan's letter, said the Sudanese position was nothing new.
``For me what is important is how we find a solution to save lives. That is the most important thing," Vassilakis said.
Asked if the letter was a threat to attack any UN soldier in Darfur, he said, ``Before they do, they will think twice."
At the moment, the UN is trying to reinforce the African troops by sending 100 personnel to run communications and other equipment, as a prelude to a UN force.
