As Sudan Ends Aid Deal, Rice Says If Not Cooperate, "We Have To Take It Up"
By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 8, 2012 -- It was on US election day that Sudan's
government declared "terminated" the tripartite agreement with the UN,
African Union and Arab League to provide humanitarian access and aid to
Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states.
On Thursday morning in front of the UN Security Council, Inner City Press
asked US Ambassador Susan Rice again about the tripartite agreement, and
Khartoum saying it is over.
Ambassador Rice told Inner City Press, "Obviously they've resisted all
along, in a way that's nothing new. The imperative remains that there's got
to be humanitarian access... and if they don't want to do that in a
cooperative way, we're going to have to take that up."
The Security Council had a meeting about Libya into which Ambassador Rice
was rushing, so it was not possible to determine if the "we" to take up
humanitarian access is the Security Council, which has yet to even speak on
the issue of Abyei going "off track," of the re-elected US administration.
On November 7
<
http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2012/db121107.doc.htm> , Inner City
Press asked UN spokesman Martin Nesirky about Sudan ending the tripartite
agreement:
Inner City Press: the Sudanese Government has announced that it is ending
this tripartite agreement that was to have provided humanitarian aid to
Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile States that the UN was a party to. They
blamed the rebels for it, but in any case, they are saying that it is over.
Is there a UN response to that? Do they think the program should go forward?
What do they say about it?
Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, not just the United Nations, but the United
Nations, the African Union and the League of Arab States are concerned about
the reports in the media that quote the Sudanese Commissioner for
Humanitarian Affairs as saying that the Tripartite Memorandum of
Understanding on humanitarian aid will not be extended. The Tripartite
members -- in other words, the UN, the African Union and the League of Arab
States -- have requested an extension of the Memorandum of Understanding, so
that they can continue working on the initiative with the Government of
Sudan and with the SPLM [Sudan People's Liberation Movement] North to ensure
that urgently needed humanitarian aid reaches civilians affected by the
conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile States. And the UN and its
humanitarian partners stand ready to provide life-saving assistance to all
people affected by the conflict, when the security situation permits. So,
just to reiterate, the Tripartite Members have requested an extension and
stand ready to provide assistance when they can.
Would Sudan be more likely to grant an extension, or access, if the UN
Security Council or US administration speaks? Watch this site.
Footnote: in Thursday's Security Council meeting, new UN envoy to Libya
Mitri described pro-US rallies in Benghazi after the deadly September 11
attack on the US consulate, but he did not opine in any way on the roots of
the attack. This is callled diplomacy -- or deference to the US. But from
Sudan on Kordofan? We'll see.
Received on Thu Nov 08 2012 - 21:30:38 EST
