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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| UN envoy prepares to leave Sudan | UN envoy prepares to leave Sudan |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The head of the United Nations mission in Sudan, Jan Pronk, is expected to leave the country after being ordered out by the government. | The head of the United Nations mission in Sudan, Jan Pronk, is expected to leave the country after being ordered out by the government. |
| The expulsion was ordered after Mr Pronk wrote in his blog that Sudan's army had suffered defeats in the Darfur region and its morale was low. | The expulsion was ordered after Mr Pronk wrote in his blog that Sudan's army had suffered defeats in the Darfur region and its morale was low. |
| Mr Pronk's relations with the Sudanese government were shaky before this row. | Mr Pronk's relations with the Sudanese government were shaky before this row. |
| Sudan is resisting strong international pressure to allow UN peacekeepers in to try to end the conflict in Darfur. | Sudan is resisting strong international pressure to allow UN peacekeepers in to try to end the conflict in Darfur. |
| The expulsion has been strongly criticised by the former rebels from south Sudan, who joined the national government following a peace deal last year. | |
| 'Creating problems' | |
| Sudan's government had given Mr Pronk until midday Wednesday to leave, but UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has recalled him to New York for consultations. | Sudan's government had given Mr Pronk until midday Wednesday to leave, but UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has recalled him to New York for consultations. |
| But the BBC's Jonah Fisher in Khartoum says there is no guarantee that he will get a sympathetic reception. | But the BBC's Jonah Fisher in Khartoum says there is no guarantee that he will get a sympathetic reception. |
| JAN PRONK 1940 - Born in The Hague, Netherlands1971 - Elected as Dutch MP1985 -1986 Assistant UN Secretary-General1998 - Dutch environment minister2001 - Chairman of UN climate conference in Bonn, worked to secure agreement on Kyoto protocol2002 - Special UN envoy to World Summit on Sustainable Development in Tokyo2004 - UN special representative for SudanMarried with two children href="/1/hi/world/africa/6076698.stm" class="">Sudan resists world pressure | |
| Mr Pronk's personal website is well known among UN officials and they have repeatedly asked him to stop writing it, our correspondent says. | Mr Pronk's personal website is well known among UN officials and they have repeatedly asked him to stop writing it, our correspondent says. |
| "Morale in the government army in north Darfur has gone down," he wrote. "Some generals have been sacked; soldiers have refused to fight." | "Morale in the government army in north Darfur has gone down," he wrote. "Some generals have been sacked; soldiers have refused to fight." |
| He said the Sudanese army had lost two major battles recently to rebel groups in the western region and that Arab militias - who have been accused of atrocities - were being mobilised in violation of UN resolutions. | He said the Sudanese army had lost two major battles recently to rebel groups in the western region and that Arab militias - who have been accused of atrocities - were being mobilised in violation of UN resolutions. |
| The army led calls for Mr Pronk's expulsion, calling his remarks psychological warfare. | The army led calls for Mr Pronk's expulsion, calling his remarks psychological warfare. |
| Junior Foreign Minister Sammani al-Wasila told the BBC that Mr Pronk had strayed beyond his mandate and lost his neutrality. | Junior Foreign Minister Sammani al-Wasila told the BBC that Mr Pronk had strayed beyond his mandate and lost his neutrality. |
| "It is not his right to comment," he said. "His role as personal envoy to the secretary general means he should be neutral to help solving problems, rather than creating problems." | "It is not his right to comment," he said. "His role as personal envoy to the secretary general means he should be neutral to help solving problems, rather than creating problems." |
| Darfur conflict | Darfur conflict |
| Britain has condemned Mr Pronk's expulsion and urged Sudan to reconsider. | Britain has condemned Mr Pronk's expulsion and urged Sudan to reconsider. |
| "This step is counter-productive and will contribute nothing to solving the problems of Sudan," said Foreign Office Minister Lord Triesman. | "This step is counter-productive and will contribute nothing to solving the problems of Sudan," said Foreign Office Minister Lord Triesman. |
| In Brussels, EU spokesman Amadeu Altafaj Tardio said: "The presence of the United Nations is vital to hundreds of thousands of citizens of the Darfur region." | In Brussels, EU spokesman Amadeu Altafaj Tardio said: "The presence of the United Nations is vital to hundreds of thousands of citizens of the Darfur region." |
| More than 200,000 people are thought to have died and two million have been displaced as a result of the three-year conflict in Darfur. | More than 200,000 people are thought to have died and two million have been displaced as a result of the three-year conflict in Darfur. |
| See which parts of Darfur are too dangerous for aid workersEnlarge Map | See which parts of Darfur are too dangerous for aid workersEnlarge Map |
| The UN Security Council has passed a resolution calling for 20,000 troops to be sent to Darfur to replace the 7,000 poorly equipped African Union troops, who have failed to end the conflict. | The UN Security Council has passed a resolution calling for 20,000 troops to be sent to Darfur to replace the 7,000 poorly equipped African Union troops, who have failed to end the conflict. |
| But Sudan has said it will not allow UN peacekeepers on its territory, calling it a bid to restore colonial rule. | But Sudan has said it will not allow UN peacekeepers on its territory, calling it a bid to restore colonial rule. |
| Sudan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ali Karti, told the BBC that it was Mr Pronk, not the UN, that was the problem. | Sudan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ali Karti, told the BBC that it was Mr Pronk, not the UN, that was the problem. |
| "It is not the United Nation's activities in Sudan," he said. "They are welcome." | "It is not the United Nation's activities in Sudan," he said. "They are welcome." |
| 'No free voices' | 'No free voices' |
| There was also opposition to the move within Sudan. | There was also opposition to the move within Sudan. |
| "It is a wrong decision which is going to worsen the situation of Darfur instead of solving it," said Yasser Arman, the spokesman for the southern Sudanese government. | "It is a wrong decision which is going to worsen the situation of Darfur instead of solving it," said Yasser Arman, the spokesman for the southern Sudanese government. |
| And Khalil Ibrahim, a senior member of the rebel National Redemption Front, told Reuters news agency the decision came from the army. | And Khalil Ibrahim, a senior member of the rebel National Redemption Front, told Reuters news agency the decision came from the army. |
| "They don't want to leave any free voices in Sudan," he said. | "They don't want to leave any free voices in Sudan," he said. |
| Our correspondent says that although in theory there is a coalition government in Khartoum, this episode has illustrated just how strong the military remains. | Our correspondent says that although in theory there is a coalition government in Khartoum, this episode has illustrated just how strong the military remains. |