UN, AU may tackle Darfur crisis
New York - The United Nations security council is to send two diplomats to Addis Ababa on Monday to hold talks with the Sudanese government and the African Union on the Darfur crisis, say diplomats.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said two diplomats from member states of the 15-member council were to travel to the Ethiopian capital at the AU's invitation.
The sources gave no details on the identity or nationality of the diplomats.
The security council decided on August 31 to send up a 20 000-strong UN force to Sudan's strife-torn Darfur region to take over peacekeeping from cash-strapped and ill-equipped AU troops who had failed to halt the bloodshed.
But, Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir was adamantly opposed to the deployment of such a force, which he viewed as part of a Western attempt to recolonise his country and plunder his abundant oil and other resources.
200 000 people killed
As a result, efforts by the world community to end the nearly four-year-old civil war and resulting humanitarian crisis in Darfur were deadlocked.
On Thursday, the United States said it was considering compromises on the make-up of an international peacekeeping force for Darfur.
State department spokesperson Sean McCormack said Washington still wanted the UN "involvement" in the Darfur force, but he didn't reiterate past US insistence that the peacekeepers be deployed formally under the world body's banner.
McCormack said: "We're taking a look at how we can address the various concerns that have come up from the Sudanese government, as well as others in the region, about the nature of this international force."
At least 200 000 people had been killed and 2.5 million others displaced since a rebellion by Darfur's mainly black African population against the Arab-led Khartoum government erupted in early 2003.
Much of the violence had been blamed on a government-funded Arab militia, known as the Janjaweed.
New York - The United Nations security council is to send two diplomats to Addis Ababa on Monday to hold talks with the Sudanese government and the African Union on the Darfur crisis, say diplomats.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said two diplomats from member states of the 15-member council were to travel to the Ethiopian capital at the AU's invitation.
The sources gave no details on the identity or nationality of the diplomats.
The security council decided on August 31 to send up a 20 000-strong UN force to Sudan's strife-torn Darfur region to take over peacekeeping from cash-strapped and ill-equipped AU troops who had failed to halt the bloodshed.
But, Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir was adamantly opposed to the deployment of such a force, which he viewed as part of a Western attempt to recolonise his country and plunder his abundant oil and other resources.
200 000 people killed
As a result, efforts by the world community to end the nearly four-year-old civil war and resulting humanitarian crisis in Darfur were deadlocked.
On Thursday, the United States said it was considering compromises on the make-up of an international peacekeeping force for Darfur.
State department spokesperson Sean McCormack said Washington still wanted the UN "involvement" in the Darfur force, but he didn't reiterate past US insistence that the peacekeepers be deployed formally under the world body's banner.
McCormack said: "We're taking a look at how we can address the various concerns that have come up from the Sudanese government, as well as others in the region, about the nature of this international force."
At least 200 000 people had been killed and 2.5 million others displaced since a rebellion by Darfur's mainly black African population against the Arab-led Khartoum government erupted in early 2003.
Much of the violence had been blamed on a government-funded Arab militia, known as the Janjaweed.
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