Sudan promises to cooperate with UN for peace

The Sudanese government reiterated on Thursday its commitment to a full cooperation with the United Nations for implementing the peace agreement in south Sudan and improving the humanitarian situation in the western region of Darfur.

"We are committed to cooperation with the international organization ... to support peace in the south and improve the humanitarian situation in Darfur," Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ali al-Sadig told Xinhua.

The spokesman ruled out a negative impact of the Sudanese government's decision to expel Jan Pronk, the special representative of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in Sudan, on the relation between Sudan and the United Nations.

Angered by an article written by Pronk in his blog, the Sudanese government ordered Pronk on Oct. 23 to leave the country within three days.

"Our relation with the UN is normal and there is no room for an escalation," al-Sadig said, adding that the decision to expel Pronk was a step to adjust the relation between Sudan and the UN.

The spokesman reiterated the preconditions which the Sudanese government put forward for Pronk's visit, saying that "Pronk will return to Khartoum as a Dutch citizen rather than the UN envoy."

Sudan announced on Monday its approval of Pronk's short return to Khartoum on condition that he pays the visit as an ordinary person and is not allowed during this period to meet with any Sudanese official, hold press conferences, receive international visitors or go to any place outside the capital.

However, UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in New York last Friday that Annan had confirmed that Jan Pronk would continue to serve as his special representative in Sudan until the end of the year, when his contract is set to expire.

Source: Xinhua