Annan, Bush Discuss U.S. Role in Darfur Crisis
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan discussed the significant role of the United States in the Darfur genocide issue with President Bush on Monday as human rights and religious groups have shown a stronger voice over the crisis.
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan discussed the significant role of the United States in the Darfur genocide issue with President George W. Bush on Monday as human rights and religious communities have shown a stronger voice over the crisis.
"We had a good discussion on Sudan, with a particular emphasis on Darfur," said Bush. "And I appreciate the Secretary's leadership on the issue."
According to Bush administration officials, Bush and Annan addressed the Feb. 3 UN Security Council resolution, discussing ways to deploy more peacekeepers in Darfur.
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"I'm very happy that we have agreed to work together on the Darfur issue," said Annan, "working with other governments from Europe, from Asia, and other regions, to ensure that we do have an effective security presence on the ground to protect the IDPs and ensure that humanitarian workers have access to those in need.
"And of course this is an issue where all governments have to play their role."
Earlier this month, the U.N. Security Council approved sending U.N. peacekeepers to Darfur. The statement called for the Africa Union and its 7,000 monitors and soldiers to transfer its operation to the United Nations. This was the first step in "contingency planning," said U.S. Ambassador John Bolton, the council president.
"And my instructions, and my intentions are very clear, which [are] to move as far and as fast as we can during the month of February," he added.
The Bush administration took over the presidency of the U.N. Security Council in February, which many U.S. activists have marked as Protect Darfur Month. Rallies involving human rights activists, students, and religious groups including the National Council of Churches and Church World Service, were held in Washington, D.C., and New York during the first weeks of the month to stir action on the part of the Bush administration and push for a resolution.
Although Annan did not ask for specific commitments from the United States during Monday's meeting, one senior official said "the president signed on to the concept and understood that we will need Western assets and the U.S. would have to be part of it," according to The New York Times.
The Save Darfur Coalition, along with the cooperation of the National Association of Evangelicals and other faith-based and humanitarian aid organizations, is currently collecting the voices of one million people on postcards that urge Bush for a more effective U.S. response to the Darfur crisis. The Million Voices for Darfur campaign was launched Jan. 12 and will continue until the necessary actions are taken to end genocide.
