Arabic Media

November 26 , 2007

Source: Al Khaleej (UAE daily, with over 80,000 in circulation)
Headline: Washington to Fund 26% of Hybrid Force Expenses and Minnawi Optimistic about Rebels’ Attendance of Next Round of Peace Talks in Libya

• Minnawi, Darfur rebel leader who signed Abuja peace agreement in 2006, said his group was in contact with most Darfur rebel leaders and was optimistic about other rebel groups attending next round of peace talks in Libya
• Simmering internal fighting within Minnawi’s group pushed to the surface last week when armed men – from the group - arrested some leaders in broad daylight and handed them over to government forces that released them without filing any charges
• Meanwhile, Sudanese police threatened to confiscate illegal arms at Kalima refugee camps, which created a sense of panic among camp residents according to humanitarian groups working at the camp
• At the same time, US representative in Sudan Alberto Fernandez announced that US would fund 26% of hybrid force expenses, adding Washington gives up to $1 billion annually to Darfur

Source: Al Ahram (government-friendly, Egyptian daily with over 1 million in circulation)
Headline: Minnawi Said Darfur Peace Talks to Resume Next Month in Libya
By: Attayab Attahar

• Minni Arko Minnawi said that Darfur peace talks in Libya were set to resume next month and added it would be attended by most rebel groups
• Minnawi based his optimism regarding participation of most rebel groups on international mediators’ efforts and statements made by the rebel groups themselves
• Head of Darfur rebuilding and development fund Abdussatar Dousa said the fund determined next seven year’s development projects would cost $16.5 billion.  He added international donors meeting was reported till a peace agreement was reached

Source: Addustour (Government-friendly, Jordanian daily enjoys wide circulation)
Headline: Sudanese President Denies Accusations He Sabotaged Hybrid Force Deployment in Darfur

• Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir denied accusations he sabotaged Darfur hybrid force deployment during a press conference at the conclusion of his party’s annual meeting and accused those who want to “impose other forces on Sudan” for the delay
• UN indicated recently that the hybrid force deployment might be delayed and US accused Sudanese government of hampering it
• Sudan, meanwhile, maintained that UN resolution called only for African troops to participate in the hybrid force

Source: Al Riyadh (Government-friendly Saudi daily with wide circulation)
Headline: USAID Representative Pledged to Continue Helping Darfur War Victims
By: Baleegh Hasballah

• Henrietta Fore toured a refugee camp in North Darfur and pledged USAID support for Darfur war victims
• The official stressed US desire to achieve peace and stability in Sudan and resolving Darfur crisis peacefully.  She added that President Bush was personally interested in the situation in the region
• US representative in Sudan Alberto Fernandez, who accompanied Fore in her visit to North Darfur, said that peace in Darfur would only be effective if displaced people were able to return to their homes and villages
• He added that US was putting pressure on Darfur rebel groups to join peace negotiations in Libya, and urged Darfur local government to facilitate transportation of hybrid force equipment

Source: Al Jazeera (Leading Arabic News Channel, headquartered in Qatar)
Headline: Minnawi Urged Comprehensive Negotiations on Darfur and Defended Abuja Agreement

• Arko Minnawi, Darfur provisional Administration leader, said efforts to create coalitions and coordinate rebel groups’ positions were under in order to increase the odds of peace talks success in Libya
• Minnawi also urged all rebel groups to join the peace negotiations and defended his movement’s peace agreement with Khartoum government in 2006

Source: Al Ahram (government-friendly, Egyptian daily with over 1 million in circulation)
Headline: Al Bashir Accuses UN of Hampering Darfur Hybrid Force Deployment
By: Abdul Wahid Libini

• Al Bashir blamed international community and UN for hampering Darfur hybrid force deployment.  He added “there are groups bent on ensuring confrontation between his country and the international community”
• Al Bashir explained that his government agreed to participation by Egypt, China, and Pakistan in the hybrid force, and insisted on rejecting pledges by Thailand, Norway, and Sweden
• Chinese first group of peacekeeping troops arrived in Darfur, and President Al Bashir criticized rebel groups for changing positions regarding peace talks
• Meanwhile, news reports indicated that up to 15 people were killed and 6 were injured during an attack on CARE aid convoy in South Darfur

Source: Al Jazeera (Leading Arabic News Channel, headquartered in Qatar)
Headline: Darfur Rebels Opposed to Chinese Peacekeepers

• Darfur rebels demanded that China withdraws its peacekeeping troops from Darfur hours after the first troops arrived in Sudan
• Justice and Equality Movement announced it would not allow Chinese engineers from entering areas under its control because of China’s support for Khartoum government
• JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim said “we object to Chinese peacekeepers because China does not care about human rights and is only interested in Sudan’s resources”

Source: Al Jazeera (Leading Arabic News Channel, headquartered in Qatar)
Headline: International Crisis Group Urged Changes in Peace Negotiations and Darfur Rebels Threatened to Target Chinese Peacekeepers

• Justice and Equality Movement threatened to target Chinese peacekeepers in Darfur
• Darfur rebel groups meeting in South Sudan warned that Chinese peacekeepers would not be “immune” from attacks
• China agreed to send engineering and medical teams to Darfur to help build road, bridges, and wells
• Meanwhile, International Crisis Group warned that Darfur peace talks would fail if Arab tribes, displaced people, and women groups were not included in the negotiations
• The group urged UN and AU mediators to seek the participation of these groups and cautioned against ignoring Arab tribes for it could lead to new Arab uprising in the region
• In addition, the group accused the government of destabilizing the region by flooding it with arms and pitting various groups against one another

Read the above in Arabic.