ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) -- African, Arab, European and U.N. leaders agreed in principle Thursday to a joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping force for Sudan's Darfur region.
The force could be as large as 27,000, including the existing 7,000-member AU peacekeeping force in Darfur, but the leaders did not lay out a timetable for the force to begin work partly because Sudan had some reservations.
Sudan did not give the plan its unreserved approval because officials at Thursday's meeting needed to consult with their superiors, the country's U.N. ambassador, Abdul Mahmoud Abdelhaleem, said.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the additional personnel could include as many as 17,000 soldiers and 3,000 police officers.
[...]
"The next step is for the U.N. and AU to call a meeting of the non-signatories (of the Darfur Peace Agreement) ... and the government of Sudan. It should take place in the next couple of weeks to resolve outstanding issues by the end of the year," Annan told reporters.
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A response by Sudan's government is expected by November 24th. Frankly, they can take their 'reservations' and stick them where the sun don't shine. Enough is enough.
Save Darfur.
Update: Sudan agrees in principle to joint AU/UN peacekeeping force
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