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From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Tue Feb 15 2011 - 17:55:30 EST
Ambassador Rice at U.N. Security Council Briefing on Sudan
United States Mission to the United Nations
Office of Press and Public Diplomacy
USUN Press Release
New York, NY
February 15, 2011
As Delivered
Remarks by Ambassador Susan E. Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to the
United Nations, at a Security Council Briefing on Sudan, February 15, 2011
Thank you, Madame President, and thank you, Special Representative
Menkerios, President Mkapa, Ambassador Osman on behalf of Foreign Minister
Karti, and Minister Alor, as well as the representative of President Mbeki
for your very encouraging comments here today. We deeply appreciate your
ongoing dedication to the cause of peace in Sudan.
After decades of conflict, the images of millions of Southern Sudanese
voters deciding their own future was an inspiration to the entire world -
and another step forward in Africa's long journey towards justice and
democracy. Now, all parties have a responsibility to ensure that this
historic moment of promise becomes a moment of lasting progress.
On behalf of the people of the United States, let me again congratulate the
people of South Sudan for a successful and historic referendum in which the
overwhelming majority of voters chose independence. We welcome the
announcement of the final referendum results and the Government of Sudan's
acceptance of that outcome. We thank the Secretary General's Referenda
Monitoring Panel, led by President Mkapa, for its crucial role in the
process. We are grateful that the entire process was peaceful, and we
commend both parties. Respecting the referendum's outcome is our best hope
for preventing renewed conflict, and we appreciate the positive statements
made thus far by Sudan's leaders and by international actors. We call
special attention to the African Union's intention to recognize the
referendum's outcome and its call on all states to do likewise. Official
recognition of the new state will be crucial. And as President Obama has
announced, it is the intention of the United States to formally recognize
Southern Sudan as a sovereign, independent state in July 2011.
Madame President, by summer, the international community will welcome a new
nation, the Republic of South Sudan. This nation will face the task of
providing security and stability for its people after decades of war. The
international community came together in support of the referendum, and this
broad, multilateral unity was essential to the process' success. It is now
time to support the people of Sudan as they move into a new phase of their
history. The people of all parts of Sudan need to know that they have our
full support during this critical period.
With the referendum process completed, it is more important than ever that
outstanding issues like the status of Abyei be resolved as quickly as
possible. We are pleased to note the January 27 Presidency meeting in which
Sudan's leaders agreed to continue to discuss ways to swiftly resolve the
Abyei impasse. We urge that these negotiations continue at the highest
level. We appreciate the parties' efforts over recent weeks to maintain calm
on the ground in Abyei, and it is imperative that a compromise be found to
break this impasse and maintain peace in this very tense region. Special
Representative Menkerios, we are deeply grateful for your leadership, and we
look to you and the United Nations to continue to play a very active role.
As long as Abyei's status remains unresolved, it could indeed trigger
further instability across Sudan. So your work and that of others in that
regard is very important. We also consider peaceful and inclusive popular
consultations in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan states that reflect the
will of the people to be essential components of implementing the CPA. We
urge the parties to ensure that these processes are completed before the
interim period ends.
Beyond resolving outstanding CPA issues, we hope that the parties will also
work to quickly complete post-referendum arrangements. We urge the parties
to swiftly resolve the remaining issues of citizenship, security, water,
debts and assets, currency, oil management, and wealth sharing. Resolving
these issues will facilitate international assistance to Sudan, both North
and South, and help ensure a peaceful post-CPA transition. Alternatively,
leaving them unresolved is but an invitation to trouble.
We believe that the United Nations should continue to play an important role
in assisting the parties to implement their CPA-mandated responsibilities,
and we urge the parties to consider ways that a United Nations peacekeeping
presence can help their peace efforts and support post-CPA agreements,
especially on security. The African Union is also actively engaged on these
issues, and we fully support the work of the AU High-Level Implementation
Panel and its chair, President Thabo Mbeki, including his engagement in
Darfur.
The United States remains strongly committed to ensuring lasting resolution
of the Darfur conflict, and we are deeply concerned about the region's
deteriorating security situation. U.S. Senior Advisor on Darfur Ambassador
Dane Smith will work with all parties to ensure justice and accountability
and to reach a comprehensive political solution. We will also persist in our
efforts to improve security and humanitarian conditions for the people of
Darfur. We continue to condemn in the strongest possible terms the
Government of Sudan's use of aerial bombardment, and we also ask Council
members to join us in the same. Ending aerial bombardment and ensuring full
freedom of movement for UNAMID and humanitarian aid workers are essential
steps-ones that would clearly demonstrate the Government of Sudan's
commitment to ending the violence in Darfur.
The renewed fighting in December, chiefly between the Government of Sudan
and the Minni Minawi faction of the SLM, displaced tens of thousands of
civilians. Regrettably, the Government of Sudan continues to refuse UNAMID
full freedom of movement.
This Council has had numerous discussions on this issue, including last week
with Joint Special Representative Gambari. We have a responsibility to the
civilians of Darfur, who live under the continual threat of violence, to
press UNAMID to fully implement its Chapter VII mandate.
We call on the Government of Sudan and rebel movements to reach an immediate
ceasefire agreement and to engage seriously to find a political solution to
a conflict that has lasted far too long. The United States has repeatedly
made clear that, for its relationship with the Government of Sudan to reach
its full potential, as we fervently hope it will, the Government of Sudan
must bring peace to Darfur; fully cooperate with UNAMID; provide
unrestricted humanitarian access to Darfur; implement a comprehensive peace
agreement; and contribute to efforts to achieve accountability, justice, and
reconciliation, while upholding international law and complying with all
Security Council resolutions.
Madame President, this is, at its essence, a moment of hope after a long
time of trial. Sudan has suffered far too much for far too long. Now that
the referendum has passed, we will continue to work closely with the
Sudanese people in both the North and the South - to ensure that the
referendum is not the end of a process but the beginning of a better future
for both nations.
Thank you, Madame President.
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