U.N. Moves on Sudan Peacekeeping Force

Secretary-General of United Nations Ban Ki-Moon, right, greets Oumar Konare, left, chairman of the African Union and former president of Mali at the beginning of an informal meeting regarding Sudan at U.N. headquarters on Monday, April 16, 2007. (AP Photo/David Karp) (David Karp - AP)

UNITED NATIONS -- The U.N. Security Council moved swiftly to start what will likely be a months-long process to deploy the first significant U.N. peacekeeping force in conflict-wracked Darfur following the Sudanese government's long-awaited approval.

Council members immediately started the process of getting U.N. funding for the 3,000 troops, police and other personnel _ as well as six attack helicopters and other aircraft and equipment _ to beef up the beleaguered African Union force which has been unable to halt Darfur's four-year conflict.

The U.N.'s most powerful body called on the Sudanese government late Monday to facilitate "the immediate deployment" of the so-called "heavy support package," which is the second phase of a U.N. plan to help the 7,000-strong African Union force. But it made clear the U.N. goal is deployment of the third and final phase _ a 20,000-strong "hybrid" U.N.-AU force.

"The heavy support package, as its name indicates, is not the robust force that Darfur needs," U.N. peacekeeping chief Jean-Marie Guehenno said. "It's a support package to lay the ground for a future robust force. It's a transition to a hybrid mission. That's how we see it."

After five months of stalling, Sudan gave a green light on Monday for the U.N. to send the 3,000 peacekeepers with their helicopter gunships, which Khartoum initially opposed.

Sudan's U.N. Ambassador Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem informed Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that the government hopes "that implementation of the heavy support package would proceed expeditiously."

The agreement was announced as Ban began two days of meetings on Darfur with AU chief executive Alpha Oumar Konare and the two envoys trying to promote a political settlement of the four-year conflict, the U.N.'s Jan Eliasson and the AU's Salim Ahmed Salim. The secretary-general said he planned to discuss "the future course of action" at a wrap-up session Tuesday.

Ban called the agreement "a very positive sign," and Konare said he was "delighted" that issues over the "heavy support package" had finally been resolved.

The secretary-general said the U.N. will consult with the Sudanese government and expects Khartoum "to urgently provide the land and other facilities necessary for the deployment of the heavy support package, including permission to explore for water," U.N. spokeswoman Michele Montas said.

Ban urged all countries to contribute troop and police quickly for Darfur, but it likely will take months before the U.N. contingent is on the ground because the U.N. has no standing army and must rely on the goodwill of its 192 member states.

Konare stressed that the African Union needs international funding to keep its troops in Darfur.

"Let's be honest, without any sustainable financing, all this operation might not be as successful as expected," he said.