African Union Rejects U.N.-Led Force in Darfur

UNITED NATIONS, June 2 -- The African Union has objected to a proposed joint A.U.-U.N. peacekeeping force in Sudan's troubled Darfur region because the United Nations would be in command, U.N. diplomats said.

The African Union wants joint control of the force, the final phase of a three-stage U.N. plan to bolster the beleaguered 7,000-member A.U. force in Darfur, U.N. diplomats said Friday. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because negotiations to resolve the dispute are private.

The United Nations announced May 24 that the A.U. and U.N. had agreed on the hybrid, 23,000-member force, and the proposal was handed to Sudan's U.N. ambassador, Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad, the following day. But Secretary General Ban Ki Moon was forced to backtrack Friday.

"There was very close consultation between the African Union and the United Nations on this joint proposal," Ban said. "We are now working to have clarifications on some elements of the draft."

"It was unfortunate that the African Union has come back with some changes after the Security Council has adopted and issued a presidential statement. But I think on the basis of a spirit of cooperation and unity in working and addressing this Darfur situation, I am quite confident that the African Union and the U.N. will find common understanding on this issue," he said.

In November, Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir agreed to the three-stage package to strengthen the A.U. force. Bashir has since backtracked on accepting U.N. troops, and approval of the hybrid force remains a question mark.