Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Khartoum (Fides Service)- “I am certain that with the arrival of the United Nations Organisation NATO allies will be ready to do more to deploy UN peacekeepers in Darfur” said secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Jaap de Hoop Scheffer at the end of a meeting with President of the United States George W. Bush. For some time Bush has said NATO should take the lead in international peacekeeping operations conducted so far by African Union peacekeepers in the travailed region of Darfur.
NATO has already offered logistic support to the AU contingent whose mandate has been extended to the end of September 2006 when there will be a changeover with UN peacekeepers (see Fides 11 March 2006). The AU mission which should have expired in mid March was extended in agreement with the government of Khartoum which chose to refinance the AU contingent rather than allow the presence of UN or other non African troops on its territory. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 21/3/2006 righe 17 parole 189)
