Obama dispatches adviser to Sudan for talks on Abyei
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June 1, 2011 (WASHINGTON) – The United States appeared to step up its
effort to contain the crisis in Sudan in the wake of the military
escalation in the country which led to the takeover of a contested
area by the Northern army.
JPEG - 27.8 kb
White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan (AFP)
Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) sent tanks and troops into Abyei pushing out
Southern units but in the process also caused displacement of 60,000
people according to United Nations estimates.
The Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir unilaterally dissolved
the Abyei administrative council without consulting with his First
Vice President Salva Kiir who is also the head of the soon to secede
South Sudan government.
Bashir declared that Abyei belongs to the North and rejected
international calls for withdrawal. However, other government
officials indicated that SAF could withdraw on the condition that new
arrangements be reached with the South.
The White House said today that president Barack Obama’s assistant on
Homeland Security and Counterterrorism John Brennan met in Khartoum
with Sudanese officials to discuss implementation of the Comprehensive
Peace Agreement (CPA) signed between the North and South more than six
years ago.
"Mr. Brennan underscored President Obama’s deep concern over the
continued presence of Sudanese Armed Forces in Abyei and urged a rapid
and peaceful resolution to the crisis and to resolving outstanding CPA
issues," said the White House statement
"U.S. Special Envoy Lyman will remain in the region to work with the
African Union, United Nations and the parties to urgently address this
crisis. This trip reflects the President’s personal commitment to a
peaceful resolution of the problems that have beset the region over
the last several decades".
The United States has warned last month that SAF takeover of Abyei
would impact Sudan’s imminent removal from the list of countries that
sponsor terrorism.
"In his meetings with Sudanese officials, Mr. Brennan discussed the
status of the ongoing review of Sudan’s inclusion on the State
Sponsors of Terrorism list and the importance of counterterrorism
cooperation against al-Qa’ida and affiliated groups," said the
statement.
Johnnie Carson, the U.S. assistant Secretary of State for African
affairs, said Brennan went to Khartoum "primarily" to discuss efforts
to delist Sudan as was promised last year in return for recognizing
the results of South Sudan referendum.
"The United States condemns the offensive operations being undertaken
by the Sudanese Armed Forces in and around Abyei town and the
presidential decree dissolving the Abyei administration. The actions
being taken by the Government of Sudan are blatant violations of the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement of January 2005, and they threaten to
undermine the mutual commitment of the CPA parties to avoid returning
to war," Carson said.
"We call on President Bashir and First Vice President Salva Kiir to
meet immediately and to agree on a way forward that restores calm,
upholds the CPA, and recommits both sides to negotiated political
settlements on the future of Abyei" he added.
The top US diplomat for Africa said that Sudan’s removal from
terrorism designation is at risk because of recent crisis in Abyei.
"The review and the basis for taking them off of the list are defined
legislatively. And that will be the most important guidepost. They
have to meet the legislative requirements for being taken off of SST,
but there is no doubt that the events of the last several weeks do
undermine people’s confidence in the commitment to follow through on
the roadmap that was laid out some months ago," Carson said.
(ST)
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