Straw Calls for International Consensus on Sudan
By Nick Mead, PA Political Staff
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw today accused members of the international community of “turning a blind eye” to atrocities in the Darfur region of Sudan.
Britain has worked to get other members of the UN Security Council “to recognise the gravity of the situation and, for some of them, to appreciate that their obligations under the UN Charter must take precedence over their immediate commercial or political interests with the government of Sudan”, he said.
“There are still members of the so-called international community, members of the Security Council and others, who are turning a blind eye from clear atrocities which have taken place in Darfur.”
On Friday the Security Council approved a resolution to prosecute Sudanese war crimes suspects before the International Criminal Court.
The move came after the US, which has not signed up to the international court, reversed a long-standing policy and agreed not to veto the resolution.
It is the last of three resolutions aimed at putting pressure on Sudan to stop the crisis in Darfur, where the number of dead from a conflict between government-backed militias and rebels is now estimated at up to 300,000.
Speaking at Commons questions, Mr Straw said the resolution “sent a very clear message that there is now no hiding place for those committing crimes against humanity”.
Shadow foreign minister Mark Simmonds called on the UK and the rest of the international community to ensure perpetrators of war crimes are brought to justice, enforce a “no fly” zone over Darfur and impose oil and arms sanctions.
Mr Straw replied: “We have always argued for the toughest possible action but achieving that depends on gaining agreement inside the Security Council.
“We have to gain a consensus. It involves international engagement, even with our European partners.
“Where we’ve got to is not where we would wish to get to but it is infinitely better than where we would have got to under a Conservative government.”
Sir Menzies Campbell, for Lib Dems, called for the African Union force in Sudan to be increased from 2,500 to 10,000 and for its mandate to be strengthened to allow for peacekeeping rather than simply monitoring.
The Foreign Secretary said the UK was giving the African Union technical and logistical support to get the available troops effectively deployed.
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