The Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) exchange of views with Rosalind MARDSEN, EU Special Representative for Sudan, on the situation in Sudan, in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Brussels

exchange of views

meeting

EU - Sudan (T)

MARDSEN, Rosalind (UK)

Situation in Sudan: extracts from the exchange of views with Rosalind MARDSEN, EU Special Representative for Sudan

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/14027716/ebs72252Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (English), Rosalind MARDSEN, EU Special Representative for Sudan, As the EU special representative for Sudan it is mission under the authority of the high representative Catherine Ashton to deal with the complex nexus of issues related to Sudan: political security, human rights, humanitarian and development. The coming months will be decisive for the future of Sudan, which is at a critical moment in its history as it enters the final stage of the 2005 comprehensive peace agreement which ended the Africa's longest running civil war and which cost the lives of some 2 million people. Implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement is fundamental to the future of Sudan.

SOUNDBITE (English), Rosalind MARDSEN, EU Special Representative for Sudan, The EU has made clear that the referendum must take place peacefully and on time and must fully reflect the wishes of Sudanese people; this message was very strongly conveyed in New York last week. The chairman of the South-Sudan referendum commission has been reported as he just announced that the registration process will start on the 15th of November, hoping that it would be possible to hold the referendum on the 9th of January. The EU will be deploying an observation mission to monitor the referendum process including the voting registration stage; this will be a visible and very important contribution to the transparency of the referendum process.

SOUNDBITE (English), Rosalind MARDSEN, EU Special Representative for Sudan, The EU must continue to maintain its focus on Darfur, where the security and humanitarian situation is still a matter of concern. Violence in Darfur has cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of people; millions have been displaced and live miserable lives in IDP camps or as refugees. In recent months there have been further incidents of fighting between government forces and rebels, serious inter-tribal fighting, attacks on civilian peacekeepers or humanitarian workers, kidnappings and explosions, including key UN staff.

SOUNDBITE (English), Rosalind MARDSEN, EU Special Representative for Sudan, The EU has a well-known position of support for the ICC as an institution; we respect the independence of the Court. We have called on the government of Sudan to engage with the Court and have reminded state-parties of their own statute, of their international legal obligations.

SOUNDBITE (English), Rosalind MARDSEN, EU Special Representative for Sudan, On the situation Southern-Sudanese leaving and the Northern leaving on the South as a very critical question, that has been one of the difficult dossiers in the peace-referendum talks: Whatever happens in terms of the referendum, it is very important that individuals have assurances that they are not going to be targeted in any way. We must continue to urge both parties to make every effort to come to an agreement.