Fiona Hall MEP

Speaking on behalf of Saj Karim, Fiona Hall, The Sudanese Government continues not only to fail in its responsibility to protect its citizens in Darfur, but continues to support Janjawid militias which, together with Sudanese government forces, bear the largest responsibility for grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in this area. In light of the Sudanese Government’s recent refusal to administer visas for the United Nations Human Rights Council High-Level Mission to Darfur, which follows consistent objection to the necessary deployment of a UN peacekeeping force, is the Council willing to consider targeted sanctions against Khartoum and is it able to confirm that it is doing everything in its power to press Russia and China to act, as their strategic oil interests in Sudan make them well-placed to influence the Sudanese Government?

Günter Gloser, President in office. - The Council has reacted forcefully to refusal of the Sudanese Government's refusal to administer visas for the United Nations Human Rights Council High-Level Mission and to the poor cooperation of the Sudanese Government is deeply regretful.

The EU has already appealed to the Sudanese foreign minister to cooperate with this mission. The Council welcomes the fact that the UN Human Rights Council took note of the mission report at its fourth sitting and consensually adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in Darfur, in which a panel of special rapporteurs was commissioned to review all recommendations to improve the human rights situation in Darfur that have been given up to now and to push for their implementation.

Fiona Hall (ALDE), deputising for the author. – There is a dreadful sense of impasse over Darfur, with lots of hand-wringing but no progress, and recent events have rather added to that feeling.

In the absence of an agreement on a UN peacekeeping force, is the Council considering, among the further measures it is looking into at the moment, the possibility of an EU-enforced no-fly zone, with the enforcement planes based over the border in Chad? That has been discussed periodically since 2004. Does the President-in-Office feel that now is the moment to implement it?

Günter Gloser, President in office. The Foreign Ministers Council discussed Sudan and Darfur again last Monday in Luxembourg. As you already perhaps know, the UN special representative, Jan Eliasson also took part.

The already difficult situation in this region has in reality not improved because another conflict has broken out between the different parties in Sudan on top of the existing conflicts of the tribes suddenly being at war with one another.

The Council has not taken any further measures at present at the wish of the Special Representative. The Special Representative has offered to try once again with political and diplomatic channels and perhaps with a change in the position of China to get an agreement on a UN supported mission.

The Foreign ministers said that the EU should consider further options in relation to Sudan when there is no signal of change in the near future and that this shouldn't be something for the 12th of never because this can't be put back for weeks and months and just wait and see.

Fiona questions the European Council over Sudan