This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/6076022.stm
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 5 | Version 6 |
---|---|
UN envoy prepares to leave Sudan | UN envoy prepares to leave Sudan |
(30 minutes later) | |
The head of the UN mission in Sudan, Jan Pronk, is expected to leave after being ordered out by the government. | |
Mr Pronk, who already had shaky ties with Khartoum, wrote in his blog that Sudan's army had suffered defeats in Darfur and its morale was low. | |
Sudan is resisting strong international pressure to admit UN peacekeepers to try to end the conflict in Darfur. | |
The expulsion was attacked by former rebels from south Sudan, who joined the national government last year. | |
HAVE YOUR SAY One of the main reasons the Sudanese government will not accept UN peacekeepers is that they believe the UN has chosen sides in the dispute David Zimlin, Florida, US href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=4441&edition=2&ttl=20061023095208" class="">Send us your comments | |
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday also criticised the expulsion as "unfortunate in the extreme". | |
Ms Rice said she would consult Mr Annan over the decision. | |
The UK condemned Mr Pronk's expulsion and urged Sudan to reconsider. | |
'Creating problems' | '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 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." |
See which parts of Darfur are too dangerous for aid workersEnlarge Map | See which parts of Darfur are too dangerous for aid workersEnlarge Map |
In Sudan, Khalil Ibrahim, a senior member of the rebel National Redemption Front, told Reuters news agency the army did not "want to leave any free voices in Sudan". | |
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. | |
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. |