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| Blair urges EU unity on Darfur | Blair urges EU unity on Darfur |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The prime minister has written to all the other 24 members of the European Union calling for unity on the crisis in the Darfur region of western Sudan. | The prime minister has written to all the other 24 members of the European Union calling for unity on the crisis in the Darfur region of western Sudan. |
| Tony Blair's letter is part of an effort to pressure Sudan's government to stop military action in the area. | Tony Blair's letter is part of an effort to pressure Sudan's government to stop military action in the area. |
| It coincides with a Darfur Day of Action in 30 cities around the world, including London. | It coincides with a Darfur Day of Action in 30 cities around the world, including London. |
| Senior members of the Muslim, Jewish and Christian faiths will gather outside Downing Street to read prayers. | Senior members of the Muslim, Jewish and Christian faiths will gather outside Downing Street to read prayers. |
| Mr Blair said the EU should play a "central role" in peace efforts and that the Sudanese government should prepare to face isolation if it failed to respond to diplomatic pressure to end the "slaughter". | Mr Blair said the EU should play a "central role" in peace efforts and that the Sudanese government should prepare to face isolation if it failed to respond to diplomatic pressure to end the "slaughter". |
| Both sides must abide by the commitments they made under previous ceasefire agreements Prime Minister Tony Blair Blair's Darfur letter in full | |
| "The EU should play a central role in mobilising world opinion on this issue," he wrote in the letter, which has also been sent to European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso. | "The EU should play a central role in mobilising world opinion on this issue," he wrote in the letter, which has also been sent to European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso. |
| "We should strongly call upon the government of Sudan and non-signatories alike to stop immediately the violence in northern Darfur. | "We should strongly call upon the government of Sudan and non-signatories alike to stop immediately the violence in northern Darfur. |
| "Both sides must abide by the commitments they made under previous ceasefire agreements." | "Both sides must abide by the commitments they made under previous ceasefire agreements." |
| Prayers written by Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra will be read out at the Downing Street demonstration. | Prayers written by Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra will be read out at the Downing Street demonstration. |
| More than 200,000 people have been killed in Darfur and more than 2m have fled their homes since 2003 when ethnic African tribes revolted against the Arab-led Khartoum government. | More than 200,000 people have been killed in Darfur and more than 2m have fled their homes since 2003 when ethnic African tribes revolted against the Arab-led Khartoum government. |
| It is the first genocide of the 21st Century Actor George Clooney | |
| The Darfur Peace Agreement, signed by the government and one of the major rebel groups in May, has failed to end fighting between rival rebel factions. | The Darfur Peace Agreement, signed by the government and one of the major rebel groups in May, has failed to end fighting between rival rebel factions. |
| The mandate of African Union peacekeepers in the region expires at the end of the month and the Sudanese government has refused to approve their replacement by a UN force. | The mandate of African Union peacekeepers in the region expires at the end of the month and the Sudanese government has refused to approve their replacement by a UN force. |
| Actor George Clooney recently addressed the UN on the issue, and said that, if UN forces were not sent in, all aid workers would leave and the 2.5m refugees who depend on them would die. | Actor George Clooney recently addressed the UN on the issue, and said that, if UN forces were not sent in, all aid workers would leave and the 2.5m refugees who depend on them would die. |
| "The US has called it genocide. For you it's called ethnic cleansing. But make no mistake - it is the first genocide of the 21st Century," he said. | "The US has called it genocide. For you it's called ethnic cleansing. But make no mistake - it is the first genocide of the 21st Century," he said. |