P 065/06
Brussels, 4 May 2006 - The European Union (EU) commends the African Union (AU) and the Sudanese parties negotiating in Abuja for the progress achieved towards a peace agreement to settle the conflict in Darfur.
It welcomes the AU mediation's draft agreement, which it regards as constituting a good basis for a settlement. It welcomes the Sudanese Government's acceptance of this draft. It calls on the SLM/A and the JEM to reach a final agreement with the Sudanese Government along the lines of the mediation's draft, without further exceeding the deadline set by the AU.
Failing to do so would be irresponsible in the light of the immense human suffering of the people in Darfur, and any party standing in the way of an agreement would have to face the consequences outlined in the UN Security Council Resolution 1591.
The EU expresses its commitment to support the implementation of an agreement reached in Abuja, including by contributing to the enhancement of AMIS and by supporting the Darfur-Darfur dialogue and post-conflict reconstruction.
The EU expresses grave concern about the serious fighting currently occurring in Darfur, which is in contradiction with the positive spirit of the Abuja talks. The EU reiterates its strong condemnation of all cease-fire violations and in particular of attacks on civilians and humanitarian agencies. It urges the Government of Sudan and the leaders of the SLM/A and the JEM to take the necessary steps to ensure that the N'djamena cease-fire is strictly respected by all forces they claim to have under their control, and to fully cooperate with AMIS.
The EU believes it to be essential for the transition from AMIS to a UN operation in Darfur to happen as quickly as possible. The EU expresses its concern at the continued failure of the Sudanese Government to allow the visit of the UN planning team and calls on it to do so straight away.
The Acceding Countries Bulgaria and Romania, the Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this declaration.
* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.