UN mulls peacekeeping involvement in Darfur from African Union

[shugah]

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- With funding running out for the African Union (AU)'s force in Sudan's troubled western Darfur region, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Security Council members on Thursday reviewed their options, including UN involvement in the peacekeeping function.

"From what I know, they (the AU) have resources up till March," Annan told reporters following his monthly luncheon with envoys of the 15 Security Council members.

"We did discuss eventual UN involvement, but, of course, it will mean we can only get involved once the African Union mandate has ended and we are in discussions with them," he said.

"At this stage, we have started contingency planning to be ready if and when the decision is taken for us to go in," he added.

Annan said the AU's leader, former Malian President Alpha Oumar Konare, would come to New York or meet UN officials elsewhere to discuss details on possible UN involvement in Darfur.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-01/13/content_4047764.htm